AETC honors lives lost, legacy of service 25 years after 9/11

Published Sept. 11, 2026
By Capt. Hannah Canales
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – Airmen and base leadership gathered at Cadet Circle, Sept. 11, 2026, to honor the lives lost and remember the sacrifices made in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks 25 years ago.

The 9/11 remembrance ceremony provided an opportunity for members of Air Education and Training Command to reflect on the nearly 3,000 lives lost Sept. 11, 2001, and the lasting impact the attacks had on the nation and the armed forces.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, speaks at a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Cadet Circle on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, Sept. 11, 2026. Quinn recalled his personal experience of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and how it changed the shape of his career, the Air Force and the country overall. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Jones)

The ceremony began with remarks from Dr. Gregory Ball, AETC Command Historian, who recounted the events of that morning and the immediate response across the command.

At the time of the attacks, the 19th Air Force Commanders’ Conference was underway at Randolph. As news unfolded, AETC leaders quickly activated a Crisis Action Team at Martin Hall that operated around the clock.

“Although the FAA grounded all air traffic, halting flight training and stranding wing commanders,” Ball said, “AETC mobilized within 24 hours to support the national defense. More than 200 medical personnel from Lackland, Keesler and Altus deployed immediately to McGuire and Andrews to provide medical assistance to the victims of the attacks.”

Across the command, fighter units from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Tyndall AFB, Fla., alongside aligned Air National Guard units, launched combat air patrols in support of Operation Noble Eagle.

Mobility forces also provided support, with units including the 97th and 314th Airlift Wings executing missions in support of Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom.

While the attacks brought unprecedented challenges, continued its foundational mission: recruit, train and educate America’s Airmen.

“Flying training resumed on Sept. 13,” Ball said. “Basic Military Training continued without interruption as Second Air Force and Air Force Recruiting Service teams began shipping trainees by bus instead of aircraft and adjusted reporting times for students. Specialized requirements surged, with Military Working Dog teams deploying to protect national leadership, and 2,320 AETC Reservists stepping forward into active duty.”

Lt. Gen. Clark J. Quinn, commander of AETC, also delivered remarks sharing his personal experience during 9/11. Having recently returned from a deployment to the Middle East, Quinn was scheduled to take his first local flight that morning; that sortie was canceled following the news. A month later, Quinn flew his first combat air patrol over Philadelphia in support of the defense mission.

“Over a month later, I could see the smoke rising in two columns still from where the World Trade Center was.,” Quinn said. “That was over a month later and from 100 miles away—another solemn remembrance of what happened on that day and in that area.”

The ceremony concluded with the playing of “Taps,” honoring those whose lives were lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

For AETC, the 25th anniversary of 9/11 serves as both a solemn remembrance of how the command’s mission was tested by a national crisis and a testament to its enduring agility when the nation needs it most.