To the editor:

As we recall Sept. 11, 2001, I must take a moment on behalf of the Sidney Veterans Honor Guard, to thank the staff at the Shelby County Veterans Affairs office, for their work and assistance in honoring the 13 who lost their lives in Kabul. I also thank the Sidney Fire Dept., the Sheriff Deputies, our Mayor, and County Commissioners, as well as all the others who gathered to help us honor the lives of our fallen brothers and sisters at the Courthouse Square Wednesday evening. Thank you all who participated and attended.

Now as we remember 9/11/2011, seeing the coverage on TV, has brought back the feelings as we watched the attack and the towers falling. I remember feeling the rage inside me as we found out all the rest in the days that followed. I remember shaking with rage at a ceremony a few days later at work, and how a fellow worker grabbed and held my hand to try and calm me down. I find myself going through those same emotions every year on this day. Many people ask if it was worth the past 20 years in Afghanistan. That can be discussed and argued about, but in my view, it was the right thing to do. I do not agree with a complete withdrawal as the same people are still in charge, and I fear we will rue the day we left. Our freedom is not free and we must fight for it against all who would take it from us. We must never surrender the most precious thing we have as Americans, our freedoms, as outlined by The Constitution. All veterans took the same oath to defend that with our lives. That oath means more to me now than when took it back in 1961 as a 17 year old, who really didn’t understand a lot at the time.

God Bless America!!

Phil Wogoman

Sidney