Remembering 9/11: Army veteran reflects on military service

Welcome back everyone. It's tough to believe but we are preparing to mark 25 years since September 11th and the terrorist attacks. We also want to salute though the heroes who responded by signing up to serve our country. In the first year after 9-11 more than a quarter of a million Americans joined the armed forces and during the global war on terror more than 2.7 million served on active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan or they went to both places. One of those heroes is joining us live in studio today. I'd like you to meet army veteran Shamar Townsend and Shamar by the way I found out joined the army at just 17 years old. Yes I did, yes. Shamar at 17 you're still a kid. I mean you you've probably met 17 year olds now and gone. What were you thinking at the time? I mean I was 17 years old just skating, roller skating, rollerblading just like any 17 year old or anyone would be doing and I was trying to go to college but didn't quite know what I wanted to do so I was like the military would be a good place to give me time to where I can go ahead and figure things out. So you joined the military and then a year later really the unthinkable happened. Yes. The whole country was watching this and you were stationed in Georgia at the time. Yes. What did you think that day on 9-11? It was such an international canon event it was just looking back at it is still surreal to this moment. I remember just briefly walking into the office after we did physical training and they were joking with me like hey look some of the pilots in the area you know coming from Jersey are looking at Jersey you all have some weird ways about flying like fly straight fly right. So they were joking but at the same time when we looked they showed the replay and I said with the replay like hey I don't think that's a replay I think it's live and then from that moment it's like the world changed we went from a time of peace to a time of war and we were never I was never susceptible to that or known anything about that. So for 18 year olds to have to transfer and into that it was really tough. I can't even imagine how difficult that was at 18 years old to go now I'm going to be put in a position of going to wartime. So can I ask where did you end up getting stationed during your time in the war on terror? So immediately after Fort Benning Georgia I was sent to Germany so being in Germany we were right there to they would pull from the different divisions and just send us into country there so I was right there in Mannheim Germany and Kaiserslautern Germany a few of the bases that were that I was at. And you had planned initially Shamar to only be in the service for the regular four years. Yes. What changed your course and your path to get to 21 years in the U.S. Army? So initially I seen that it wasn't about me anymore this was not even about just fighting for our country and its safety and its rights for the people who reside here. It was those that we've touched and dealt with and we're helping internationally in other countries. So in my second tour in Iraq I was able to deal with some of the Iraqi National Guards and to see how the impact that we dealt with them what we were dealing with how we were helping and supporting them to see how much it meant. It just kept me motivated to continue to just show support the world over. And you gave so much of your time I mean to fight for our freedoms and we really appreciate it. Thank you Shamar. Thank you. So you did 21 years. Yes. And now I'd like to say you're continuing to serve. So you're part of the Wounded Warrior Project. Yes. And you're helping other veterans out there who maybe who have gone through war time or difficult times as well. Yes. Wounded Warrior Project was definitely a savior for me because they have so many resources. They try to alleviate the stresses for the veterans because all scars aren't visible. So you can see us some have you know amputees but some a lot of us have mental health. But no matter what our disability may be as a veteran or just whatever support that we may need Wounded Warrior Project has something for us that it allows us to just just be at peace for a if there's a brief amount of time whatever the duration is it's there for And you all deserve so much. I mean that's the truth and sometimes when we when we have these anniversaries we're marking you know 10 years 20 years and now we're marking 25 years since 9-11 which is hard to believe but it's going to bring eyes back to our veterans which is what we all want. For our regular civilians out there our community that might be watching what can we do better for our veterans Shamar? The community does so much and I love the community the way it shows support. The one thing that the community can continue to do is to continue to listen and just show the support that they pour into all the vets. Florida Orlando here is just an amazing place that shows so much support for the veterans and I do love being here and being a part of that. And we loved having you here today Shamar. I really appreciate you. Thank you for your service. Thank you so much.