×

STORIES

Richard Gierbolini

Active Duty

Military Affiliations

  • First Responder

MY connection to 9/11

  • I was serving in the military on 9/11

  • I decided to train to become a first responder (fire, police, EMT) after 9/11

  • I was living in New York City or Washington, DC on 9/11

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

As a Special Agent for the Federal Aviation Administration, I was assigned to the New York Civil Aviation Security Field Office (CASFO) at JFK International Airport. On 9/11, I was working the night shift and happened to be in Farmingdale, NY that morning, approximately 35 Miles east of Manhattan. I heard on the radio that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. When I heard of the second plane crashing, I instantly knew it was an act of terrorism and not an accident as originally thought.

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

I was called by my Supervisor to to respond to Islip Airport in Eastern Long Island to meet with the Airport Mangers and Airline Mangers and direct them to shut the airport down. From that day on I was working with Port Authority Police 1212 to 18 hours a day in helping to secure Americas Airports. As a Navy Reservist assigned to a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Brooklyn, I knew the call to war was soon be coming.

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

After 30 years of Military Service both Active and Reserve and an Additional 30 Years of Federal Service with both the FAA and the TSA I will be retiring next year. I will however continue to volunteer with various veterans organizations that I volunteer with now.

Back to stories page
Set Your Location
Please enter your location to show events near you
OR