Veterans Reflect on Decisions and Impact 25 Years After 9/11

John Byrnes was swimming at Hunter College in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001. As he stepped outside for coffee, sirens blaring down Lexington Avenue caught his attention. A plane had hit the World Trade Center. Minutes later, he watched the North Tower collapse on television and rushed to his National Guard armory. He spent two weeks securing Ground Zero and later served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Five veterans shared their stories with Fox News Digital as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approached. Each remembers where they were when the attacks occurred and how it changed their life and service. Some were already in uniform, while others enlisted after the attacks.

“The decision to go to Afghanistan was necessary. The decision to go to Iraq was not necessary,” Byrnes stated.

Byrnes, now a strategic director at Concerned Veterans for America, criticized the long stay in Afghanistan and the decisions that seemed right at the time.

Chris Hoff, a veteran, watched the attacks from New Jersey and knew he had to return to military service. He deployed to Afghanistan twice, where he suffered multiple concussions. He credits the Wounded Warrior Project and equine therapy with saving his life. Hoff encourages veterans to seek help and emphasizes its importance.

Representative Troy Downing, from Montana, learned of the attacks while hunting in Alaska. He joined the Air National Guard, serving in combat search and rescue during deployments in Afghanistan. Downing views the eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Biden as a blemish but urges veterans to recognize their honorable service.

Brandon Newberry, a teenage witness to the attacks, joined the Marine Corps in 2006 to contribute. He spent years in Afghanistan and saw positive changes in Afghan society during the U.S. presence. Newberry feels the U.S. could have established a stronger government before withdrawing.

Michael Matthews, already in the Army, was injured by an IED in Iraq. Despite the injuries altering his career path, he dedicates himself to supporting veterans and the community.

“You can never admit failure,” Byrnes said. “No matter how bad things were, you set the positive note.”

Veterans’ reflections resist straightforward judgment. They express pride in their service, frustration over prolonged wars, and differing views on the accomplishments of the United States in the Middle East.

Matthews captured the sentiment, saying, “We’re proud of what we did, even though we may not have fully understood what we were doing or why we were doing it.”