9/11 Ceremony Honors Past, Looks To Future

Peterson Air Force Base held a ceremony Friday morning in front of its 9/11 memorial honoring the past and looking to the future.

The memorial is in front of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command’s building.

It is built out of a steel beam from one of the twin towers and points toward New York City.

It is planted in soil from Pennsylvania that is meant to honor those who were killed on Flight 93. A pentagon-shaped planter holds everything together.

The National Homeland Defense Foundation helped bring the steel beam to Peterson Air Force Base and the memorial was dedicated last year.

Don Addy, president of the foundation, has brought several pieces from New York City to be used for memorials at military installations in Colorado Springs.

He said the memorials serve as symbols of the resolve of our military members to defend our nation for future generations.

Northern Command leaders said their organization rose from the ashes of Sept. 11, so the memorial has become an icon at Peterson Air Force Base.

Memorials have also been dedicated at Fort Carson and the Olympic Training Center.

A 9/11 memorial at the Air Force Academy is scheduled to be dedicated Friday evening.

Memorials at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station are scheduled to be dedicated on Monday morning.

According to Addy, a 9/11 memorial for Schriever Air Force Base is currently being designed.