Today, September 11, is a special day in the life of our country, a day to remember and reflect on that fateful morning in 2001 when everything in our world changed.

Every generation has its own pivotal days. For some it was Pearl Harbor. For others, the day JFK was assassinated. For ours, it is 9-11. Every American remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing that day when they heard the shocking news that a jet-liner had flown into the World Trade Center, another into the Pentagon, and a third that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I am sure the memory of the twin towers collapsing, smoke billowing from the Pentagon, and the crash site in the Pennsylvania field is indelibly etched in your mind. Terrorists declared war on America that day, and America responded in the way it always does in dark times. We came together as a nation and declared a war on terror, and we are still at it today.

Each of you knows people who have made the ultimate sacrifice in this conflict. It is a war unlike any other in the history of our nation. Terrorists don't seek to wage conventional warfare. Instead, they seek to kill innocent men, women and children. They did soon 9-11 in America, later on in Spain, Great Britain, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is a different war and it is a different world. Out of the ashes of this great tragedy our Department of Defense has changed the way we approach our world. Out of 9-11 arose the concept of Africa Command-- a new world a new way of addressing issues around the globe.

It is also important to understand that, while the war on terror is an essential part of our mission, it is not our only focus. Many of our African partners are concerned that if we focus solely on tactically confronting terrorists, we risk neglecting many of Africans' other security concerns. Our African partners are focused on long-term stability, on the personal safety of themselves, their families and communities. They are building education opportunities for their children; health programs for their well-being; permissive, lawful business environments for so that trade can thrive. It is my sincere belief -- as we provide military support for broader U.S. policies aimed at promoting diplomacy, development and stability -- that we will achieve our long-term goals of a safer, more prosperous world. That, ultimately, is our strategic goal in the war on terror.

Sometime during the day I ask that you pause to remember the heroes, victims and survivors of 9-11 and the Global War on Terror. The firemen, police officers, service members and civilians who died so that others might live and those who bear the scars both physical and emotional of this terrible conflict. Let's remember how we came together as one nation and pledge to remember who we are and what we stand for in Africa Command and as Americans -- peace, stability security and hope.

William E. Ward
General, U.S. Army
Commander