Across the country, Americans will take a moment to remember the lives lost on this day and the lives that were changed in an instant that Tuesday morning in September. In these moments, there is a heightened appreciation for those willing to dedicate their lives to serving others. First responders and servicemembers of all branches of the Armed Forces are trained to run toward danger, not away from it.
Both of us were on duty on September 11, 2001, now remembered as Patriot’s Day. The date of 9/11, as it is commonly referred to, was the beginning of a War on Terrorism that would last well over a decade. On 9/11, two commercial planes plowed through the twin towers in downtown New York, destroying two of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Another plane would attack the Pentagon, and a fourth plane would crash in Pennsylvania. All of the aircraft were occupied with passengers, and the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were both full of workers and servicemembers who were on duty. America was under attack, on American soil, by terrorists.
On Sept. 12, the American and allied response, termed The War on Terrorism, started in earnest with military members deploying to Middle Eastern countries around the world. We, like other graduates of our storied universities, served during the War on Terrorism, continuing a tradition of service to our country by graduates of Hampton and Tuskegee Universities. In many cases, that desire to serve begins in our Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs.
For more than a century, young men and women at Hampton and Tuskegee Universities have proudly taken the oath to defend this nation—often as the first in their families to serve. These students bring courage and commitment to both institutions of higher education, each with legacies of developing leaders to proudly serve our nation in all branches of the Armed Forces.
The ROTC programs like ours do more than prepare students to serve the nation during war or peacetime. They provide leadership training and anchor a culture of public service in communities that have historically been underrepresented in military leadership. This experience is invaluable on our campuses.
Hampton University’s Army ROTC program dates back to 1919 and has commissioned 12 general officers, including the current Commander of U.S. Forces Korea and the Adjutant General of Maryland. Tuskegee’s legacy includes the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American four-star general, and ROTC graduates now serving across all military branches—including the U.S. Space Force. A new generation of Airmen and women are being trained through the Aviation Science degree program.
Our students — many of them first-time military aspirants — value ROTC as a path to serve, to lead, and to access an affordable, high-quality education.
We believe it’s important to preserve and expand environments where students can explore military service in a setting that reflects and supports their identity. We’ve seen firsthand the impact of ROTC on campuses like ours. It shapes communities. And it strengthens national defense by creating generations of leaders trained and prepared with a commitment and desire to push through conflict to preserve the Constitution and the tenants of our democracy.
We are proud of the ROTC programs on our campuses and the close partnership we’ve built with all of the military branches over many decades.
On this day, when we remember those we lost on a crisp fall morning or as they were serving the nation far away from home, we must remember the value of the young people who proudly raise their hands for the first time and pledge to serve our country.
For us, if not for ROTC, we may not have worn the uniform, nor be leading these universities today. On this day of remembrance, we simply ask that future generations have the same opportunity and resources to stand proudly in uniform representing our nation. It remains a role of dignity and one to be honored.
Darrell K. Williams, Lt. Gen., U.S. Army (Ret.), is president of Hampton University.
Mark A. Brown, Ed.D., is a retired U.S. Air Force major general and president of Tuskegee University.
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