Page 10 - Aerotech News and Review, Sept. 20, 2019

AV Mall marks anniversary of 9/11 attacks

by Adrienne King
special to Aerotech News
To mark the 18th anniversary of
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
on the United States, the Antelope
Valley Mall hosted a remembrance
ceremony at the Fallen Heroes Me-
morial.
The event was sponsored by
the County of Los Angeles Fire
Department, Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department, California
Highway Patrol, U.S Forest Ser-
vice and California State Prison,
Los Angeles County.
Among the over 200 people in
attendance were several local rep-
resentatives from Palmdale and
Lancaster include Palmdale Mayor
Steve Hofbauer, Lancaster Vice
Mayor Marvin Crist and Chuck
Bostwick, Assistant Field Deputy
for Los Angeles County 5th District
Supervisor Kathryn Barger. In ad-
dition, representatives from various
first responders groups were also in
attendance.
During the ceremony there was
recognition of the Antelope Valley
Fallen Heroes including Sergeant Photograph by Adrienne King
Steve Owen, Deputy Pierre Bain A representative from County of Los Angeles Fire Department rings a bell
and Deputy Stephen Sorensen. The to commemorate the time of the attacks, during the Sept. 11 Remembrance
Palmdale High School Chamber ceremony at the Antelope Valley Mall.
Singers sang the National Anthem.
The announcement of the time
of attacks were signaled with a bell
rung by a member of the County Photograph by Adrienne King
of Los Angeles Fire Department. Representatives from various public safety agencies stand and salute while
The ceremony concluded with a the flag is lowered to half-staff in front of the Fallen Heroes Memorial at the
benediction by Chaplain Firefighter Antelope Valley Mall, at the Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony.
Paramedic Doug Campbell.

9/11 Veteran Ceremonies at Antelope Valley College

by Dennis Anderson like the movies.”
special to Aerotech News His mission to secure nuclear mis-
sile siloes was followed by a pair of
LANCASTER, Calif.—Veterans of deployments to the Iraq War.
the Post 9/11 wars and their supporters Krishna Flores, an Outreach Special-
at Antelope Valley College and in the ist with the VA’s Veterans Counseling
community turned out at the Antelope Center in Palmdale, recalled the an-
Valley College flagpole to recall their guish she felt.
memories of the events of Sept. 11, Flores, a Marine Corps combat vet-
2001. eran, said she spent most of her life
Two veterans, and a veterans spouse, in California, “but I was born in New
with connections to the Antelope Val- York.”
ley College Veterans Resource Center, She recalled her parents, immi-
told about 100 people gathered their grants, marveling at the splendor and
memories of that day, and what came height of the Twin Towers of the World
after the terrorists hijacked jetliners Trade Center when they arrived in the
and used them as flying bombs, killing United States. Her full name is Krishna
2,977 people at the World Trade Cen- America Flores, and she assists veter-
ter in New York, and the Pentagon in ans with issues related to transitioning
Washington, D.C. from active military service.
Louie Borrayo, who served with Air “My turn came,” she remembered. A Photograph by Adrienne King
Force Security Forces, was on leave in few years after the 9/11 terror attacks, About 100 people gathered at the Antelope Valley College flagpole Sept. 11 in to remember the terrorist attacks of
the Los Angeles area to celebrate his her Marine Corps unit announced, “We Sept. 11, 2001.
father’s birthday when the events at the are looking for volunteers to go to Iraq.
World Trade Center and the Pentagon Who wants to go?” Iraqi Freedom, and the campaigns in Michael R. Adams, a Cold War vet- The Lancaster High School Air
unfolded before a shocked and horri- She said, “I raised my hand. I want- Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Free- eran, joined Ashley Johnson, the Vet- Force Jr. ROTC formed the color guard.
fied world. ed to go. I wanted to serve my country. dom. eran Resource Director, in welcoming Members from service organizations
Borrayo was two years into his first I saw a lot, and I did a lot.” “Our lives changed,” she said. veteran and first-responder supporters such as American Legion Riders, the
enlistment, and immediately began his Later, she would understand that ser- Antelope Valley College has hosted to the college. Patriot Guard, Vets4Veterans, and the
journey back to a nuclear missile site vice comes with a cost, often to men- a 9/11 ceremony annually in the years Johnson, an Army veteran of the Marine Corps League, the American
in Montana. tal and emotional health, as well as the since President Ed Knudson, an Army Post 9/11 era, remembers she was in Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars,
“When I arrived, there were barri- risks of injury and wounding. veteran, assumed executive leadership high school when the attacks by al turned out in support.
ers up, and everyone was in full battle Xochitl Trammell, spouse of an Air at the college. Qaeda occurred. “A few days later, re- Antelope Valley College has more
gear,” he said. “We worked for the next Force veteran, said life changed for her College Board President Lew Stults, cruiters were at the campus, and that is than 300 veterans enrolled, most of them
25 days without a day off. It looked as the wife of a veteran of Operation a Vietnam War veteran, and Trustee when I signed up.” veterans of the Post 9/11 service era.
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