General James N. Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central Commander, delivers remarks at 9-11 remembrance ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, September 9, 2011. (U.S. CENTCOM photo)
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (September 9, 2011) — Local community leaders joined personnel assigned to U.S. Central Command to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on America with a remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday.
General James N. Mattis, the commander of USCENTCOM, delivered remarks at the event, highlighting the international impact of 90 countries losing loved ones that day, and the international response of 49 nations now participating in the largest wartime coalition in recent history.
“Now on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 let us in Central Command – with its great international composition, with its bond to Special Operations Command stronger than ever – let us renew our commitment to the unrelenting pursuit of those who would otherwise kill the innocent.”
It is that commitment of service that makes the difference, the general said.
“So today, and for just a few moments as we all pause, let us quietly and firmly reaffirm our resolve to stand together against medieval forces who deny basic human rights – whether it be to children, to girls, to those who think differently than them – and be very proud of our young women and men from forty-nine countries who continue to volunteer to serve in a time of war.”
Several hundred people attended the event at the memorial plaza in the CENTCOM campus. The memorial is under development by the CENTCOM Memorial Foundation Board.