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At 18 I Watched 9/11 in Horror, the Next Day I Made Life-Changing Decision

At 18 I Watched 9/11 in Horror, the Next Day I Made Life-Changing Decision

Summary

The article tells the story of an 18-year-old who changed their life after watching the 9/11 attacks. Inspired by those events, they enlisted in the U.S. Army, went through basic training, served in Iraq, and later returned to education to earn a degree and PhD.

Key Facts

  • The author was 18 and a community college student studying early childhood education when 9/11 happened.
  • They lived near Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and saw flights stop after the attacks.
  • The experience motivated them to enlist in the U.S. Army within weeks of the attack.
  • Basic training was physically and mentally challenging, including running, workouts, and learning to use weapons.
  • They served as an M203 grenadier and worked in the XVIII Airborne Air Defense Artillery during the Iraq War.
  • One memorable moment was watching President George W. Bush declare war on Iraq while stationed in the desert.
  • After four years in the Army, they chose to leave because deployments no longer matched their original reasons for enlisting.
  • They later pursued higher education, earning both a degree and a PhD in community-related fields.
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