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STORIES

Claudia Arceo

Veteran

Claudia Arceo
Military Affiliations

  • Military Family Member

MY connection to 9/11

  • I was serving in the military on 9/11

  • I had a family member serving in the military on 9/11

Where were you when you first heard about or saw the 9/11 terrorist attacks?

I was living in California and was asleep when the first plane crashed, then my aunt called and woke me up to turn on the TV to the news. I did so and saw that the first tower had been hit and saw the second plane crash live. I remember telling my mom "we are going to war" and neither the Pentagon nor Flight 93 had hit yet. I was distraught and in disbelief all at the same time. I was supposed to go to class that morning but classes were cancelled. It was a rough week and being in the Army Reserves, I knew something would follow.

How did the events of that day shape your life and inspire your service to this country?

A couple months before we invaded Iraq for Operation OIF, I was sent to Ft. Bragg, NC on a 30-day temporary duty assignment. Of course I had no idea that in March 2003 we would declare war. My 30-day assignment turned into 28 months. I never went to the front lines during neither conflict, OIF nor OEF, but I was the one who had to take care of the logistics in the rear to send to the front. I had joined the Army Reserves so that I would never leave home, and in January 2003 I got mobilized to support the upcoming rear operations. I returned back home to California and my life never returned to be the same of what I remembered it to be.

What are you excited to contribute to your community, however you define it, for the next 20 years?

As a veteran now, I am very involved with veterans activities and organizations. That has kept me functioning without missing the camaraderie that I had while on active duty. I enjoy helping others, specially if I do it side-to-side with other battle buddies from any branch, or any era. I really looked forward to becoming more and more involved as time passes us by.

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