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Stroud keeps 9-11 memories closeSep 12, 2011 (Fergus Falls Daily Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Fergus Falls native and Lt. Col. Shawn Stroud says he's serving in Afghanistan in order to prevent another attack on the United States from ever again originating from Afghanistan's soil. Ten years ago, on 9-11, he was stationed at West Point, 45 miles from Ground Zero. "I served in 2001 as a member of the faculty at the United States Military Academy," said Stroud. "Having just finished teaching both of my morning classes, I returned to my office and received a phone call instructing me to come to the department conference room where our faculty was watching a breaking news story." A decade ago he could see the concern in the eyes of his fellow instructors as they shared with Stroud the details of a plane striking one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. "As we continued to watch, we saw the horrifying images of the second plane strike and the subsequent attack on the Pentagon," he said. "When we learned that another plane had been hijacked and it had departed from Newark, N.J., earlier that morning, we all grew even more concerned, given Newark's proximity to West Point." Today, 10 years later, he's deployed to the place where the attacks on 9-11 emanated from. "I was also deployed to Iraq on the fifth anniversary of 9-11, so it's been a dramatic 10 years for my family and me," he said. During the tragic events 10 years ago, the U.S. military believed that West Point might be a viable target for the missing plane. "Our leadership ordered a complete lockdown of the entire academy, including access to the gate, the cadet dorms and training areas and all installation facilities," said Stroud. "This even included our on-post schools where my wife was working and where our children attended school." As much as he wanted to drive to the school and bring his family home, Stroud was given the task to stay and serve as the communication link between higher headquarters and the West Point faculty. "Unfortunately, none of our family's cell phones were working," he said, "so I was unable to reach my wife to provide her with an update. Hours went by and we saw the two towers fall. We saw the riveting scenes of New York City." Residents in the vicinity of Ground Zero ran with ashes all over their bodies and with tears and sweat pouring down their cheeks. "We saw the devastation at the Pentagon as smoke and flames billowed from a building where many of our good friends were serving," said Stroud. "We saw the flames and wreckage of the missing aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, after crashing into a field near Shanksville, Penn. Scenes none of us will ever forget." Later that day, Stroud said all of them were allowed to return to their homes where each of the families anxiously waited. "I can still remember the strange feelings of joy mixed with sadness as I hugged my wife and children," said Stroud, "knowing that each was safe in my arms. Yet, we also knew so many others would not be hugging their loved ones that night, having perished in the attacks." Stroud, now serving in Afghanistan 10 years later, is like many of his fellow servicemen and women who have served in different overseas locations since 9/11. "This probably will not be my last," said. "However, what my colleagues and I are doing here in Afghanistan is building an Afghan National Security Force that will serve and protect the people of Afghanistan and deny the use of Afghan soil from ever again being used as a breeding ground for terrorists." Likewise, he said Afghanistan will not again be a base where evil men plot the murderous attacks on the American people. Stroud also has served as director for Strategic Communications and PAO for the Commanding General, Combined Arms Center based in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. ___ (c)2011 the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.) Visit the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.) at www.fergusfallsjournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |