Sept. 11, 2001, is a day that Americans will never forget. We all remember where we were that morning when the news broke. We remember watching the horrific images that will forever be engrained into our hearts, minds and souls.

Since 2001, The United States and its military have gone above and beyond to protect our nation. Our commander in chief at the time, former President George W. Bush, said in his speech that night: “None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.” Less than a month after that speech, our armed forces entered Afghanistan. Two years later our armed forces entered Iraq when it was believed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Without question, our armed forces stood up to protect our nation. As a result of the military efforts, the U.S. is a safer place. We have not been attacked on our own soil and we have captured some of the world’s top terrorist threats, including Osama bin Laden, the man responsible for the attacks. Unfortunately, as with the positives come negatives, which includes the deaths and injuries of countless soldiers.

We hear stories of brave men and women who have been wounded or who have died in combat all the time, yet our armed forces continue to protect us, regardless of the situation. Many of us have had a personal connection to these people.

Sept. 11 is not only a day of mourning but also a day of reflection. We remember those who lost their lives that day and in the years to follow. Sept. 11 is a time to remember all branches of the military and the importance they have in our daily lives. While we often take our freedoms for granted, if it wasn’t for our military, our nation wouldn’t be where it is today. Perhaps we wouldn’t be here at all. We can also say this is a day to look forward to the future. The will of America is to succeed. We are not a country of fear or failure, but a country of hope and prosperity. Sept. 11 should be a reminder of this to all of us. We should be reminded of the unity we all share as Americans, and never forget that the U.S. is in fact the greatest nation on Earth.

_— Joshua Segall is a management information systems senior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu. _