As I put out the US flag at my home this morning, I can't help but remember the gut-wrenching feeling eighteen years ago today in 2002 as the attacks on our soil unfolded. I was working in Basel, Switzerland and Kathleen was at our home in Zurich. We had primitive Internet access back then and someone in the office yelled out that a plane had hit one of the towers in New York. We all thought it was a small Cessna. By the end of the day, we all were in shock and left the office in silence.

Over the coming few short months, my Army Reserve unit which was aligned with and stationed at the US Army V Corps headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany began pre-deployment training. Our commander told us to prepare ourselves & our family. But he couldn’t tell us anything, as it was classified. Between Christmas & New Years while back in the States visiting my in-laws I received a phone call. Our unit was being activated, and we were being sent to Kuwait. I had ten business days to put my affairs in order, let my civilian employer know I was leaving, help Kathleen the best I could, and to report for active duty. The weekend before Valentine’s Day in 2003, I was able to visit Kathleen back at our home in Zurich one last time before we deployed. I’ll never forget the emotions as I kissed her goodbye that dark Sunday evening and I walked out the door to take the train back to Heidelberg to an unknown future.

We were boots on the ground in Kuwait at Camp Virginia just a few short weeks later, standing up our operations headquarters. There had been no invasion yet. No “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. We were designated CJTF-7 – Combined Joint Task Force 7 that carried out the initial invasion of Iraq, commanded by a 3-Star General out of V Corps. We commanded the US Army ground forces in Kuwait & Iraq. I worked for the 2-Star Deputy Commanding General of V Corps.

I worked seven days a week, 12 hours on, 12 hours off. My job was the CJTF-7 G-3 Rear Operations Command “Battle Major”. At the end of each shift, my job was to deliver to the 2-Star the BUB - “Battle Update Brief”, consolidating myriad information from various commands and functions (engineers, medical, deploying unit status, strength, etc.) into concise nuggets of information. I learned about three days in advance that we’d invade on March 20th. I could go on & on into my experiences and what transpired during my deployment. As I look back, that period seems surreal; as if my life’s timeline was frozen.

Today, let’s pause to remember those we lost – both on 9-11, in Afghanistan, Iraqi and elsewhere; to remember those who are disabled, injured or still suffering; and to thank those who have served and continue to serve this nation.

In commemoration with these hard fought freedoms, let us continue to carry their light in our daily lives back home here in America.

Joe Seconder

Major, Infantry (Retired)

US Army Reserve