NATO Training Mission Afghanistan remembers 9/11

Print Post

Story by Mass Communications Specialist 3^rd  Class (SW) Sean Weir
NATO Training Mission  - Afghanistan, Public Affairs Office

Camp Eggers Honor guard prepare to lower the colors during a 9/11 ceremony.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Sean Weir)

Deployed service members, DoD civilians and contractors gathered Tuesday during an official ceremony honoring the 11th anniversary of 9/11 at Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan.

 The ceremony included a 21 gun salute, the lowering of the colors and a speech given by Lt. Gen. Daniel P. Bolger, Commanding General NATO Training Mission Afghanistan (NTM-A).

 “We said that this day changed everything and we said that we would never forget,” said Bolger.  “For days and weeks and months we kept that pledge. But were all busy and we have our own lives and some things are too painful to remember, so too often we just don’t. But we should remember and we know it, today’s ceremony reminds us of that sacred obligation.”

“Eleven long years after 9/11 we ask for faith enough to know that more bullets, bombs and deaths are never the final answer. An eye for an eye and sooner or later it all ends in blindness. As military members we have to do hard things but as military personnel we above all pray for a peace that makes those hard things unnecessary,” said Bolger.

Members from the U.S and other countries gather to show their respect during the 9/11 ceremony at Camp Eggers. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Sean Weir)

 Members from multiple nations attended the ceremony, showing the unity that exists between the contributing nations at Camp Eggers.

“The words were strong it took me back to boot camp, which is where I was when it happened,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Abel Espinal.  “It made me reflect back to how I felt back then, seeing so many people come together and show their respect reminded me of how our country came together after the attack.”

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop contributing nations assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Tags: afghanistan, Feature, featured, ISAF, nato, nato training mission, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, NTM-A

Category: News - General, News - News