PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Picatinny Arsenal officials observed the 24th annual remembrance of the September 11, 2001, attacks against our nation with a wreath-laying ceremony at the installation’s headquarters flagpole on Thursday.
The remembrance ceremony honors all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have died while serving in overseas contingency operations since those tragic events.
The remembrance ceremony honors all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have died while serving in overseas contingency operations since those tragic events. VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain Joseph Lawhorn asked Picatinny employees to pray and remember the thousands of Americans and people from other nations who died after two aircraft attacks that caused the collapse of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City, the aircraft attack on the Pentagon, and the downing of United Airlines Flight 93 into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001.
"Today, we pause as a Nation, and as an Army, to remember," said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Picatinny Arsenal's Commanding General and Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition.
"Twenty-four years ago, on a very similar September morning, our country was irrevocably changed. Many of us watched those terrible events unfold right next door, and knew people who were directly impacted by the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the courageous actions in the skies over Pennsylvania. These were not just attacks on buildings and symbols – they were attacks on our friends, family, and colleagues. This was deeply personal and would forever change the course of history."
The remembrance ceremony honors all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have died while serving in overseas contingency operations since those tragic events. VIEW ORIGINAL
As the general continued to address the audience in attendance, his focus turned towards the Army’s commitment to provide the latest technology and equipment to support the warfighter.
"Today, the threat landscape has evolved," Reim said. "While the nature of the enemy may have changed, our commitment to protecting our Nation remains steadfast. We face new challenges – from state-sponsored actors to emerging technologies – that demand constant adaptation and innovation.
"And our Armed Forces must be ready to meet any threat, which is why our work rebuilding the Arsenal of Democracy is so critical. Only a modern, technologically advanced fighting force will be capable of handling 21st century adversaries. As the Department of Defense’s ‘Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition’, we have a sacred responsibility to provide safe, reliable, and lethal armaments and ammunition to our Warfighters and international allies. We provide overmatch capabilities that serve as a significant deterrence against would be adversaries and, when called, the means to fight and win our Nation’s wars."
Following the wreath laying by Reim and Command Sgt. Maj. David M. Franks, Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines (2/25), Golf Company, at Picatinny, remembered the fallen with a 21-gun salute, followed by a Marine bugler playing “Taps.”
Captain Nolan Rampulla of the Picatinny Arsenal Fire Department played “Amazing Grace,” on the bagpipes.
After the remembrance ceremony, and comments from Fire Chief Troy Christman, the Picatinny Arsenal Fire Department hosted a moving flag tribute where the American flag will be carried continuously for 24 hours over a 1.3-mile course by Picatinny Arsenal employees, service members, and families.
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