'We must always remember': Milwaukee VA marks 9/11 anniversary
We all remember where we were on Sept. 11, 2001. But beyond that, we should not forget the sacrifices that were made, and the lives lost, on and after that fateful day.
That was the message during a ceremony Wednesday at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center marking the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
“Remembering together is important,” said Chaplain Tesha Urban, addressing a large gathering in the hospital’s Unity Chapel. “It connects us, holds us, unites us and helps with healing. So let us embrace this connection together.”
While many speakers offered their own “I remember” stories during the event, there was a call to honor those who died, especially the more than 7,000 U.S. service members killed in the ensuing Global War on Terrorism.
“Let us never forget the sacrifices America’s Veterans paid to protect our freedoms and our way of life in the years after Sept. 11, 2001,” Milwaukee VA Medical Center Executive Director Jim McLain said. “We must always remember.”
That included 136 service members from Wisconsin, seven of whom are buried in Wood National Cemetery on the Milwaukee VA grounds:
- Spc. Scott T. Nagorski of Greenfield
- Cpl. Stephen W. Castner of Cedarburg
- Sgt. 1st Class Scott J. Brown of Brookfield
- Spc. Michelle M. Witmer of New Berlin
- Spc. Michael A. McGlothin of Hartford and Milwaukee
- Cpl. Adrian V. Soltau of Milwaukee
- Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell of West Bend and Menomonee Falls
Candles were lit for each, and short biographies of the service members were shared during the ceremony.
Keri Brezgel, assistant director for the Milwaukee VA Regional Office of the Veterans Benefits Administration, said she was grateful to have a job that serves America’s Veterans.
“How brave our service men and women are who voluntarily put themselves in the most tumultuous situations, the most unsafe, life-threatening and potentially fatal situations,” she said, noting that the 9/11 anniversary reminds us to pay tribute to those who stand up for us.
“Maybe the best way to honor the memory of the victims of 9/11 and their families and those service men and women we lost is to treat them with the dignity and respect that they so deserve,” she said.
The ceremony included prayers from the Milwaukee VA’s chaplains for the lives lost, first responders, the military and family members affected by the events of 9/11.
It concluded with words from Darcie Greuel, who heads the Milwaukee VA’s Post-9/11 Military to VA program, which works directly with Veterans who served after 9/11.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this team,” she said. “We were established to ensure that transitioning service members would receive the care and the support that they need when they transition from military to civilian life.
“Many service members face a range of challenges when they transition back … and they often have a decreased sense of belonging. They’re trying to figure out, ‘How do I fit in?’” she said. “Our team is equipped to address those very unique needs and issues.”
Greuel recently retired from the Army Reserves, after serving for some 40 years. That included a deployment to Afghanistan in 2003 — where she worked as a nurse in a field hospital.
“I never knew when I was serving overseas how impactful that service time would be,” Greuel said. “It was one of the most profound experiences of my life.”
During her talk, Greuel became emotional, thinking about the many Veterans she has served.
“It is truly an honor for all of us on the team to participate in this very special event, which honors those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our great nation.”