On this day, Wisconsin remembered

By Sgt. Alyson Swanke

112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

"As a nation, we watched in shock 10 years ago," Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch said during the opening minutes of a ceremony of remembrance Sunday (Sept. 11) at the state capitol. "We all watched. We all flew flags. We all renewed our love of America. In a morning they hoped would lead us to despair, we found unity. In the instant they wanted us to feel defeat, we found hope."

More than 50 family members of fallen service members joined government and military officials and hundreds of citizens around the south entrance to the Capitol building for the hour-long ceremony.

"On a day when we reflect on what happened that day, what is so powerful is not what happened and what was torn down, but rather what was lifted up, and what became of us," said Gov. Scott Walker, commander in chief of the Wisconsin National Guard.

The public was invited to join Walker, Maj. Gen. Donald Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, and state and federal officials to pay tribute to those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. Remembered were those from Wisconsin that died at the twin towers and Pentagon, as well as first responders, firefighters, police, and all other who lost their lives in the attacks on America and in the global war on terror.

"Let us renew our commitment to never forget the victims of 9/11, and remain mindful of the privilege it is to be an American," Kleefisch said.

The ceremony included music by the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 132nd Army Band, an F-16 flyover by the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing, 21-gun salute, a wreath laying and the national moment of silence at 7:46 a.m. Members of the Madison Police Department and Capitol Police posted the nation's colors, and a joint service color guard retrieved them. Dunbar shared his recollections of being on duty in Washington D.C. on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I believe the terrorists miscalculated grossly - they proved they could sucker punch us, but we've responded," Dunbar said. "The miscalculation is that they do not understand what America is, and who we are."

On Sept. 11, 2001, Dunbar was working in the National Guard Bureau a half mile away from the Pentagon, where he felt the impact of the hijacked airliner as it struck the building. If not for renovations being done at the Pentagon, Dunbar and the National Guard Bureau itself would have been in the building at the time of the attack.

"We made a few decisions that night, right then and there," Dunbar said. "We decided we would continue to live our life with confidence in our nation.

"As Americans, we had to decide what we would do on a personal level," he continued. "The next day the answer came as our country returned to work. We made a decision as a nation that we would not live in fear."

The Wisconsin National Guard has deployed more than 14,000 Soldiers and Airmen in support of the global war on terror since Sept. 11, 2001. Many Wisconsin National Guard members have deployed more than once. Every unit in the Wisconsin National Guard has supported to some extent the global war on terror. Among the 153 Wisconsin service members who gave their lives, 10 were Wisconsin National Guard members.

"This is the next great generation of men and women," Walker said. "Not only the ones that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but their comrades who are still serving today, who show that out of something as tragic and horrific as what happened a decade ago, that instead of fear and horror, we see honor, and devotion, and commitment, and pride. That's what America is about."

"They thought they could defeat us by knocking down a few buildings and burning our Pentagon," Dunbar said. "They did not understand that our strength is in our freedom, our Constitution and in our people. We are a resilient nation, and despite being countered at again and again throughout history, our nation always rises to the occasion."

"Ten years ago America walked through the valley of the shadow death, but these United States are one nation, under God, indivisible," said Kleefish. "We will fear no evil."

A Freedom Walk, sponsored by Operation Homefront, took place at the Capitol Square immediately following the ceremony.