The Shift Report - September 2020 - SPECIAL 9/11 EDITION

September 2020

SPECIAL EDITION

19 years ago...

Where were you?

Where Were You?

As we all reflect on the tragedy that occurred 19 years ago, a variety of members from the Fort Belvoir Hospital team shared their personal accounts with us. We asked each team member to answer the same five questions about their own experiences. Take a look at what they had to say.

FBCH Remembers

On September 11, 2020, team members from the FBCH U.S. Navy Junior Enlisted Association made flags available to patients and staff to be placed in front of the Hospital in a moment of personal reflection.

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September 11, 2001 - It's Personal

A special message from the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Department of Pastoral Services.

Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Command Director Navy Captain Cynthia Judy Chief of Staff Navy Captain Saira Aslam Command Senior Enlisted Leader Command Sergeant Major Kristy Cortner

• Mission • Committed to outstanding patient experience through safe, quality, compassionate care for all we serve.

• Vision • The premier Community Health System, leading the nation in innovative healthcare and well-being.

• Values • Member and Partners Organizational and Personal Learning Patient and Family-Centered Excellence Valuing Workforce Engaged Leadership Stewardship

The Shift Report Staff Editor in Chief:

Stephanie Grooms

Editor/Photographer:

Reese Brown

Visual Information:

Stephanie Grooms and Tobias Morelli

Announcements:

LaTonya Jackson

“We Lead ... One Team!”

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, the Defense Health Agency, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.

Discussion of any commercial products within this publication does not create nor imply any Federal/DoD endorsement.

Unless otherwise indicated (and except for “by permission” and copyright items), materials may be reprinted provided credit is given to photographer and the author.

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Sandy Dahl, Wife of Flight 93 Pilot, Jason Dahl

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5 h P oto by e P tty Offcer 1st Class Sarah Villegas

19 Years Ago

Where Were You? 6

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n September 11, 2001, almost 3,000 people lost their lives during the attacks at the Twin Towers, Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93. Around the country, people pause to remember those who lost their lives on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, vowing to “never forget.” As we pause 19 years later to recognize this pivotal moment in our history, a moment which changed the very fabric of how we live our lives today, we decided to do things little differently this year and allow personal reflections be the author of its own story.

For older Americans, 9/11 remains a vivid memory. Ten years later, 97% of Americans 8 or older at the time could remember exactly where they were when they heard the news, according to a 2011 survey by the Pew Research Center.

For many young people, however, 9/11 is a subject learned secondhand. Many younger Americans have grown up in a post-9/11 world, where developments like stricter airport security measures, or the U.S. war on terror have always been a reality.

The Members of the Belvoir Hospital, those in and out of uniform, span the entire spectrum of both age and life experiences. Their reflections of 9/11 are unique and personal, but all were willing to share their stories and allow their voices to be heard. Their honest, heartfelt responses could not have made us any prouder, and it is our honor to share their stories.

We asked each Team Member the same five questions regarding their own experiences: • Tell us a little about yourself.

• Where were you during the attacks on September 11, 2001?

• What was your immediate reaction to the attacks? What memories are most vivid?

• Do you consider September 11 to be a pivotal event in your life? In the history of the United States? In world history?

• Do you feel the attacks on 9/11 influence who you are and what you do today? Why? In their own words, this is what they had to say…

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"For many of us, the events of 9-11 are seared into our memories. But most who join our ranks today see 9-11 as a date in history they learn about through second-hand accounts.

Yet they sign up to wear the cloth of our Nation to preserve everyone’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As military members, upholding these concepts is our solemn obligation to our fellow Americans."

Ronald J. Place, MD Lieutenant General, US Army Director, Defense Health Agency

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Navy Captain Cynthia Judy

Hospital Director Fort Belvoir Community Hospital

I was stationed on Whidbey Island, Washington at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor, but I was in Washington DC for a Navy meeting on September 11, 2001.

Like so many, I had feelings of disbelief, followed by fear as the different attacks were happening. The meeting that I was attending was canceled and I was sent back to my hotel. As the day went on, traffic near the hotel stopped and there were only military planes flying overhead. The area where I was staying was eerily quiet. I remember how alone, I felt and how much I wanted to be with my family. I truly believe that September 11th was pivotal in our nation’s history, it demonstrated that as one of the world’s most powerful nations, we are still vulnerable.

The tragedies of September 11th seemed to unite our nation. There was an increased sense of patriotism, volunteerism, and service. For a moment in time, our nation set aside its differences and focused on family and community. I think that one of the greatest ways that we can honor those who were lost on (and after) 9/11 is by coming together as a nation that values diversity and inclusion, treats its people with dignity and respect, and strives for unity in an era of divisiveness.

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Sergeant First Class Adam small

Senior Enlisted Leader Directorate for Administration

September 11, 2001 was my only scheduled day off that week and I had planned to head to Hollywood and do touristy things with my girlfriend at the time. My sister called me about 6:30 a.m. to tell me we were under attack.

From that point on I sat in front of the television until 2 a.m. the next morning, never leaving the house.

My immediate reaction was shock that our country could be hit like this I was in disbelief. My most vivid memory is of all the dust from the collapsing towers, the pile of rubble and how many stories the rubble rose above the street level.

The attacks absolutely influence who I am today simply because if I could relive the last 18+ years since that day I wouldn’t change my course of action. Also, due to the 5 combat deployments, experiences, losses and sacrifices, 9/11 has transformed me from a somewhat naive civilian to a seasoned veteran who continues to mentor Soldiers to this day.

I am now able to pass along the stories of my deployments to the younger generation who entered into military service after the reduction of combat missions and deployments nowadays.

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Senior airman Christine Smith Aerospace Medical Technician Department of Family Medicine

I was born in Panama, Republic of Panama to my mother who was native to the country and my father who, at the time, was in the Army and had been stationed there during Operation Just Cause. I moved to the U.S. at the age of one and was raised in southwest Michigan. I was in class at the time of the attacks. I was a fifth grader attending my elementary school back home in Buchanan, Michigan.

The attack felt surreal at first. Our teacher had recieved a phone call to turn on the television and switch to the news. I think it took a moment for all of us in the room to register what was happening. My father was a fan of action movies and watched them often. As I watched the second plane hit the tower, it felt so much like a scene from one of his movies, that the reality didn’t fully set in until a few of my classmates were overcome by the fear and horror. I suppose I just never imagined that such a thing could happen in real life; it never crossed my mind.

A few classmates cried. We found out later that a family member of one worked in one of the towers. My teacher handled the situation as best as she could and calmly managed the horror rippling through the room.

I believe September 11th was a pivotal moment in everyone’s lives, mine included. Even those that were not directly or even indirectly affected by the attacks felt its effects and still do to this day. Seeing the events unfold as a child inspired a taste of reality that I had never experienced before. After that, the danger in the world felt more real and much closer than it ever had before. It is a feeling that I’ve carried with me all these years. Remembering the events of that day grants a greater understanding of what it means to be my nation’s sword and shield. I hope that the nation never again has to witness the fear and hopelessness of 9/11, but if it ever does, I am prepared to step up in the same way that our heroes did that day.

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Navy Lieutenant TatYana andersen Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge Inpatient Adult Behavioral Health I am originally from Siberia, Russia and I serve as a Naval Officer at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. I currently serve as the Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge of the Inpatient Adult Mental Health Unit. The mental health specialty is a unique one and very dear to my heart.

I came to the United States with my then 5 year old son in February of 2001, and was only in U.S. for a few months when these tragedies happened. My English at the time was not the best, and I remember watching TV and seeing the planes crashing into buildings. I was so scared as I thought it was the beginning of a war. I recall calling all of my Russian friends here in the U.S. and we all, as new immigrants to this country, were scared of what would happen next.

I believe September 11th taught many people around the globe how easy it is to lose what is dear to them in just a matter of minutes, and I definitely became more careful about places I travel, and I pay more attention to my surroundings for my safety and the safety of my family.

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Colonel timothy barron Physician and Department Chief Emergency Medicine

My wife and I were new military attending physicians at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii on September 11th. I had just finished a night shift in the ED and was looking forward to a round of golf, when Amy and I got a wakeup call from my mother in Pennsylvania. She wanted to tell me that my father was OK despite having driven into Manhattan and stopping at the World Trade Center that morning to deliver specialty herbs to the restaurants there. I wondered why that mattered and she said I should turn on the TV because the Twin Towers had been hit by airplanes. There was very little information at that moment other than the lock down of the military, as we were told to remain in place and be available. It was an acutely stressful and surreal time.

September 11th 2001, is the single most cataclysmic event that I have witnessed in my life. The disbelief that the buildings I had been in and were so iconic to the city of New York were truly at risk, and the number of people immediately affected and in danger was hard to reconcile. The emotions of sadness, anger, and helplessness were swirling as the news of the Pentagon and other flights circulated and the news cycle expanded. It became a marathon of TV watching to track the situation.

Being so far away in a location that is isolated seemed as though we were watching a terrible movie, with the poignancy of it being real. All those things contributed to our war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the alteration of my life through multiple deployments in response to the events that started that day, have forever changed who I have become and how my wife and daughters know me.

As a result, today I am an eternal optimist. Our family’s glass is always half full. That day allowed Amy and I to be on the front lines of medicine, supporting the troops and families of those that defend our freedom and our nation. We have been able to care for countless warriors in aid stations, combat support hospitals, and military treatment facilities. I experienced trauma care to the extreme, and it has hardened my confidence and tempered me to look at situations with a much more balanced eye. That tragic day started a domino effect in so many lives that will continue to be felt for the next hundred years. I believe the strength and resolve of the people it affected will carry through generations.

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Ms. Aimee renfroe

Senior Administrator Department of Medicine

On September 11, 2001 I was in Heidelburg, Germany. It was the very first day of my civilian career after my tenure in the United States Army.

My immediate reaction was disbelief, that quickly shifted to asking questions like, "How did this happen?" "Why did this happen?" Reflecting back on that day, my most vivid memory was how the people across Europe stepped in to immediately support the United States. I recall how German citizens gathered outside of the installation gates offering help, laying flowers and even donating money to the U.S. Government.

9/11 was the moment we all realized that foreign terrorist attacks could actually reach us here on our own soil. For the impact on the rest of the world, I would say that most were in disbelief just like we were, in shock that an event like this could happen to America on American soil.

That day showed how even with individual differences, American’s pull together when a time of need is pushed upon us.

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Petty Officer THIRD class Emily Hackett Medical Lab Technician Laboratory Services I am currently 21 years of age, and I was only two years old on September 11, 2001. I was much too young to remember the actual event. The very first time I remember learning about the attacks was on a hike with my family when I was about 7 years old. The date was September 11th and my parents were explaining what had happened on that day in 2001. I had so many questions for them; "Why did they do it? What is a terrorist? Did anyone die? What were the Twin Towers?" I remember being terrified that threats like these were out there.

I never experienced a time before the September 11th attacks, and today I understand the impact that the tragedy had on everyday lives of American citizens. That fateful day marks a turning point in American history. Getting on an air plane or traveling to another country will never be the same again. I also strongly believe that my generation was brought up differently because of the attacks. Sure, everyone was taught not to talk to strangers, but not everyone was taught to look for suspicious behavior or bags in large public areas or for the nearest exit of every building you walk into just in case you need to make a fast escape.

I joined the military as a hospital corpsman to help the people that keep my family safe. I saw articles and stories of heroes that ran into the fight to help that day, and I knew that if something like 9/11 were to ever happen again, I wanted to be there running toward the fight to help just like all the heroes did that day. However, I pray to the Lord above that day never comes.

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technical Sergeant Kyle Lipscomb

Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge Department of Family Medicine On September 11, 2001 I was 12 years old and in the 7th grade at Lincoln Middle School in Abilene, Texas. My immediate reaction to the attacks was that of confusion, followed by fear. There was talking in the classroom between students that one of the planes was probably going to be heading for Dyess AFB, and that caused a lot of military dependents kids like myself to become scared that our parents were in imminent danger. I remember as soon as the bell rang and we were to go to our final class for the day, one of the girls that was in my class broke down crying in the hallway, and friends surrounded her trying to comfort and calm her.

I was one of five children that lived with a single active duty parent, and after worrying earlier in the day if my mom was in danger, even after seeing her at home I was then worried if she was going to get deployed down range. The attacks completely changed the protective measures we now use for security and TSA screening, and also laid the stepping stones to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan that has continued on for many years and taken the lives of thousands upon thousands of U.S. and NATO service members.

September 11th influenced who I am today because it was one of my first realizations of life being finite, and the uncertainty of knowing when your last moment with someone can be. Growing up, I always felt that I would serve in the military one day and do my part to give back to this country. I believe that the attacks only helped to strengthen that feeling, because I have always had the desire to help people when they are going through a time of need, and on that day thousands of people were in need.

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Command Sergeant major kristy cortner Command Senior Enlisted Leader Fort Belvior Community Hospital On September 11th, I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, working in my unit’s aid station when a couple of Soldiers came in and said something was happening on the news.

By the time we moved to the day room to find a television, the Pentagon had already been hit.

I was watching the news when the first tower fell and remember feeling like I must have been watching a movie.

I was scared and sad for all of the people involved because it was clear that this event was going to result in a large loss of life. The entire news scene was surreal and chaotic to watch. My father works for Morgan Stanley, and while his office is based in Atlanta, he had been spending a lot of time in NYC for training and conferences, so I recall trying to get in touch with him but cell lines were either down or busy. It was a scary and unsettling time.

For the first time, the U.S. had been attacked on home soil without warning. Being a member of the military, I somehow knew that the break between conflicts was over, and that I would probably find myself in a war at some point in the near future. The division I was in certainly began to act that way; medical and training readiness efforts ramped up, and within 18 months I was deployed to Iraq.

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Mr. Reginald Powell Supervisor Diagnostic Radiology

Military is in my blood. I was born at Womack Army Hospital in Fayetteville, North Carolina. and I am the son of an Army Airborne Medic who served in WWII, the Korean conflict and two tours of Vietnam. I was stationed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 when the attacks began, working as the NCOIC in the Radiology Department of the DiLorenzo Clinic.

I had just returned from updating my ID Card after being promoted to E-7 and upon arriving back to the clinic, my staff and I witnessed the first jetliner fly into one of the Twin Towers in Manhattan. They kept showing it over and over again. We all stated how tragic an accident that was, but then we saw another plane fly into the second tower, and I remember stating that wasn’t an accident, this was an act of war. Minutes later, someone came running down the corridor of the Pentagon screaming, “We’ve been hit! We’re under attack!"

9/11 changed the security of our society, our nation and of the world. I no longer take for granted the events that occur in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. I’ve always watched the news, but now I watch to be as informed as possible.

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sergeant Jamie Bohn Blood Bank Senior Enlisted Leader Laboratory Services I am originally from Fort Collins, Colorado and I am currently an active duty Army Soldier stationed in Virginia where I live with my husband and our one year old daughter.

I was eight years old and getting ready to go to school when the attacks happened. At the time, my Mom was watching the news and told me that I wasn’t going to school that day. I remember feeling so confused on why I did not have to go to school. I can recall my Mom saying there was an attack, and for safety reasons, she wanted me to stay at home.

September 11th was one of the first moments where we as a Nation realized we could be attacked. That day has definitely changed the protocols and shaped a lot of the policies we now have in place.

The attacks on September 11, 2001 indirectly influenced me. One of the reasons my Mom chose to join the Army was due to what happened on that day. I was a teenager when she enlisted in the Army and was able to attend her basic training graduation. Seeing her in the Army is what motivated me to enlist later down the road.

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Petty Officer first class Benjamin hightower

Senior Enlisted Leader DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic

The reason I joined the Navy was because of 9/11. It is a defining part of American history and has shaped my generation of warriors to protect our loved ones. At the time, I was a sophomore in college and was at work lifeguarding at the local “Y” in Joplin, Missouri. I did not understand the depth of what happened until three days later. It amazed me how devastating the hate towards America was from the terrorists and their intent to destroy our way of life.

I vividly remember how America immediately rallied behind our National Ensign and answered the call to help the victims and their families. There was support from my local community and we all pitched in any way we could. I was an EMT and finishing school to be a paramedic and firefighter. One of my instructors was an Army 18-D, and he told me there was a way for me to deploy overseas and work in the medical field. I never knew I could join the military until that moment. I did all my research and decided that being with the Marine Corps was the ethos that I would bleed and die for. So I dropped out of school and joined the Navy as a Corpsman in order to deploy as soon as I could. I have since completed six combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.

My military career has led me to DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic at the Pentagon where I serve as a Senior Enlisted Leader. My hometown of Rogers, Arkansas answered our nation’s call to arms and I met four of my classmates while deployed down-range.

There is nothing better than to have a familiar voice yell out, “Hightower, is that you!” My best friends in life are Marines and they are my Brothers-in-Arms.

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Mr. William Barnhardt Chief of Information Management/Technology (IM/IT) DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic I joined the Air Force in 1985 and started working at the Pentagon in August of 1989. I have been working in the building since that time, and I currently serve as the Chief of IM/IT at the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic.

On September 11, 2001 I left for a dental appointment that morning. On the way back, I heard and explosion, and then saw smoke. I immediately tried contacting work, but no one answered. I didn’t know at the time that they had evacuated the building.

My most vivid memory of that day was looking at the side of the Pentagon where the plane hit; seeing that destruction. I do believe 9/11 was a wakeup call for a lot of Americans who thought that terrorists couldn’t hurt Americans, especially in our own country.

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Mr. Carlvan payne Chief of Emergency Management and Operations Dilorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic On September 11, 2001, I was at work here at the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic. My immediate actions after the attack were to respond to the crash location, assist the local authorities, and to triage and administer care to the casualties.

I feel that 9/11 will always be a pivotal event in my life. It will also always be a pivotal event in the history of the United States. Especially in the lives of those who were directly affected by the ones we lost that day. However, I do not feel the attacks directly influenced who I am today, or what I do. I was a Medic in the U.S. Army for 21 years prior to my role at the Pentagon, and I was trained in what to do in situations like this. This is an event that I would like to try and erase from my life. There was nothing positive about this day.

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FORT BELVOIR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL REMEMBERS In remembrance of all of the lives lost 19 years ago, team members of the FBCH U.S. Navy Junior Enlisted Association made flags available to staff and patients to be placed in front of the hospital during a moment of quiet reflection.

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“September 11, 2001, revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.”

— Geraldine Brooks 39

"I went from a supervisor of a Costco to someone who chose to be a medic simply because I felt it offered me the best chance to deploy to Afghanistan."

-Sergeant First Class Small

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"I was raised in a military family with a lot of patriotism so I’m not sure I would say it shaped me, but it did make me more certain of who I was and what I was doing in the military myself."

-Command Sergeant Major Cortner

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“September 11 is one of our worst days but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and showed our charitable instincts and reminded us of what we stood for and stand for.”

— Lamar Alexander

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"During the attacks on 9/11, I was in the Bronx in a line waiting to pass through the metal detectors for entry into school. Most of the students didn’t believe the news, and it wasn’t until sometime after we were all inside the building that a message from the principal came over the school’s PA system verifying that all were in fact true."

-Petty Officer First Class Hendy 47

“Americans never quit.”

— Douglas MacArthur

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"For me and my family personally, September 11 was a reminder that life is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain.

Therefore, we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity, and laughter.”

— Deepak Chopra 50

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“America was not built on fear.

America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”

— Harry S. Truman

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September 11, 2001: It's Personal.

By: Commander Barry Metzger Chaplain, Belvoir Hospital Department of Pastoral Services

It’s hard to believe it’s been 19 years since the tragic and senseless attacks. That day directly altered and affected the families and loved ones of 3,263 individuals who lost their lives before 10 a.m. They came from many walks of life, first responders, business travelers, folks traveling for leisure, there were many going about their work routines.

These victims came from different genders, cultures, and walks of life. The victims and their families will never be forgotten, nor the many who served in our military in response sacrificing much and in some cases all.

This is one of those days where those who were living and old enough remember exactly where they were and what they were doing. Personally, I was in the fields at Camp Pendleton with 30 fellow 54

Chaplains fulfilling a portion of our training requirements at CREST school in anticipation of our new Marine Corps assignments. On the morning of 9/11, the buses came and we were told to onboard and return to the school house. We didn’t know the reason and in the beginning, we were just thankful to get back. Once we offloaded our course instructor explained what happened with the three attacks.

We were in shock as we went inside to watch the events unfold on television along with the rest of the world. As the images appeared one after the other, my thoughts almost reflexively went to my wife and two small children in Havelock, North Carolina. I called them a few times throughout the day with a deep need and desire to hold them and protect them. Many of my fellow Chaplains were experiencing the same compulsions concerning their loved ones.

As we spoke throughout the day, and processed what we were experiencing, we drew strength from scriptures such as Psalm 91:

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress.”

In addition, as military personnel with hearts of compassion we sensed the course of our calling to military members and families was changing that day. We all seemed to have a resolve to go, and to serve where our nation needed us.

With a strong sense of patriotism.

With so much washing over our nation and the absolute need to remember, it’s important not

to take what is most important for granted. Some depth to the obligatory “I love you” as we rush out the door seems appropriate.

Hugging our children just a little tighter or longer seems appropriate. An intentionality to call loved ones in other places seems right. Let’s not take any of the time we have for granted, give of ourselves to others, and love our neighbors more intentionally. ...Never forget.

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“When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible. We’re not about what happened on 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.”

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9300 DeWitt Loop Fort Belvoir, VA 22060 Information: (571) 231-FBCH (3224) TTY: (571) 231-1799 Appointments: (855) 227-6331