NAS MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Sailors, Marines and civilians at Naval Air Station Meridian gathered Friday to remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, marking 25 years since the tragedy.
NAS Meridian held a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Navy Reserve Center on the installation. The ceremony included a reading of the timeline of events from Sept. 11 and a moment of prayer.
Philip Hamilton, an active-duty training officer at the Naval Technical Training Center at NAS Meridian, said the anniversary is an opportunity for service members to reflect on those who were affected by the attacks.
“The main thing we can really do is spend time in thought,” Hamilton said. “We had a PT activity this morning with our sailors and Marines and we told them, ‘Just spend time in thought. Be mindful. Reach out to those who went through this tragedy that happened. Just speak with them. Ask them how they’re doing today.’”
Hamilton said the magnitude of the lives lost should remain at the forefront as the country observes the anniversary.
“A lot of people lost their lives that day, unfortunately. Men, women, children, grandparents, moms, fathers,” Hamilton said. “So just be mindful. Just thoughtful. Today is a day of reflection.”
For younger service members, many of whom were not yet born when the attacks occurred, Master Sgt. and First Sgt. Hillary Stack said remembering Sept. 11 remains important.
“This day is vital for us to remember where we came from, where we are and where we’re going,” Stack said. “It’s a reminder for us that there are not friendlies everywhere in the world. We need to be vigilant, and we need to be prepared for that.”
Stack said teaching younger generations about the attacks also helps service members understand the purpose behind wearing the uniform.
“It’s so important for our young people to remember this, even if they weren’t around when it happened, because it drives a purpose as to why and what it means to wear this uniform,” Stack said.
Stack said the military’s mission to protect the country and its citizens makes remembering events such as Sept. 11 particularly meaningful for those serving today.
The Sept. 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people after hijacked airplanes struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, while another plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
