Next month marks 25 years since September 11, 2001. For those of us in the military-connected community, that day reshaped the next quarter century of service, sacrifice, and loss for our generation, and we continue to navigate the repercussions.
I remember exactly where I was. I was home in Washington state, about to report to Navy ROTC at the University of Washington as a junior in college. My mom called me into the TV room where we watched in horror and disbelief. I watched the towers fall knowing that this would change forever what service meant for those raising their hand to take the oath to protect this country. While I didn’t end up in uniform, I spent the 25 years since as a military family member bearing witness to what that day set in motion for the people I love and the community I support: deployments that never seemed to end, friends and family members who came home different or didn't come home at all, and the weight of loss and trauma that this community has carried for a generation and will continue to carry for years to come.
And now, as we approach this milestone anniversary, those wounds are being opened again. The Trump administration's illegal and irresponsible push into another foreign conflict, with even less justification and even less planning than we saw in the chaotic years after 9/11, is a reminder that we haven't learned the lessons this community paid for in blood and grief. Veterans and military families are watching history repeat itself, and it is both maddening and heartbreaking.
And that’s why we want to hear from you. There’s something powerful in naming what we carry, out loud, and we cannot let this moment pass without taking the time together to reflect, grieve, and look forward.
So ahead of the 25th anniversary next month, we're collecting reflections, memories, and photos from VMF members and the broader Democrats Abroad community for our "Where Were You" project. Your submission may be included in a graphic, a photo mural, or a map, shared on the anniversary and in DA communications.
We want to know:
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Where you were on the morning of September 11, 2001.
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Three words that describe your feelings around 9/11, then or now.
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What that day meant to you.
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And if you'd like, a photo of yourself or a loved one who served in the years since, and their story.
Participation is completely voluntary. You can choose to stay anonymous, or consent to being named. You can withdraw your submission at any time. Please share with us no later than September 7th.
Share with us here
Twenty five years later, this community still carries what that day cost us. Let's make sure our stories are part of how it is remembered.