Combined Endeavor pauses to remember
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany (Sept. 11, 2011) – The flags of European countries who did not have representatives attending Combined Endeavor stand in honor of their citizens who were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a memorial ceremony Sept. 11, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. Twenty-two nations attending the Combined Endeavor exercise had citizens among the 2,977 people killed during the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania in 2001. (Photo by US Air Force Staff Sgt. Ryan Whitney / Released)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany (Sept. 11, 2011) – The flags of European countries who did not have representatives attending Combined Endeavor stand in honor of their citizens who were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a memorial ceremony Sept. 11, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. Twenty-two nations attending the Combined Endeavor exercise had citizens among the 2,977 people killed during the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania in 2001. (Photo by US Air Force Staff Sgt. Ryan Whitney / Released)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Representatives from 40 nations, local fire fighters and civilians gathered in Grafenwoehr, Germany, at the Camp Aachen parade field, to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed 2,977.
Twenty-two European and North American nations were honored for lives lost during the attacks. The nations included: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States. Russia, Israel, Belarus and Lebanon though not participating in the exercise, were also honored for their losses during the ceremony.
During the ceremony, military representatives from nations participating in the Combined Endeavor exercise stood in a line with their nation’s flag in hand. As the ceremony began Lt. Col. Brian Heberlie, this year’s exercise director, took the stage.
“I would like to thank all of you for attending this remembrance ceremony on the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy,” he said. “... At this ceremony we have representatives with Combined Endeavor from more than 40 nations. Of those nations, there are 22 within the European Command Area of Responsibility who lost a fellow countryman during the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.”
Representatives from each nation who lost citizens during the attacks stepped forward out of the formation and were honored with a moment of silence. Following this, the remaining nations then joined the other countries as a symbol of solidarity and unity in halting terrorism.
During the ceremony Col. Lem Thomas, Chief of International C4 engagement and interoperability for the U.S. European Command, said the gathering to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was to recognize the loss and solidarity not as separate delegations, but as men and women, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines united under a common cause.
“... As you just observed, many of those countries have representation from their Guardians of freedom standing on this field today,” he said. “Collectively, we are all here to honor the many victims of terrorism around the world.”
Thomas said it is important to remember but also to sustain resilience and move forward together. In addition to remembering victims and their families today, the resilience of the collective military forces, women and men that are deployed around the globe, and the resilience of their families should also be acknowledged. The Combined Endeavor exercise proves people from varied background and different cultures can live and work together in an environment free of fear and violence.
“We must continue to endure whatever our nations call on us to do, to prove we will not be discouraged or defeated,” he said.
“Tough times have a way of bringing out the best in people, and if anything, terrorism has further united this Combined Endeavor family over the past decade. By your participation today, you are telling the world we are united against these cowardly acts.”
Combined Endeavor is a multinational exercise designed to increase interoperability and communication between the more than 35 countries participating in the annual exercise.
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