9/11 sent them to war. 25 years later, veterans grapple with what followed, tell me about this news in (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/9-11-sent-them-war-25-years-later-veterans-grapple-what-followed)

11-09-2026

The article, published by Fox News on the 25th anniversary of September 11, centers on post-9/11 veterans reflecting on how the attacks reshaped their lives and their views on the decades of conflict that followed.Key highlights from the report:
  • Personal Origins and Mobilization: The piece features five veterans, including John Byrneswho was a student at Hunter College and a National Guard member when the attacks occurred, deployed to help secure Ground Zero for two weeks, and later served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Others featured include individuals who were inspired to enlist right after the attacks, ranging from teenagers watching the events in school to established professionals.
  • Pride in Service vs. Mixed Feelings on Outcomes: While all of the featured service members express enduring pride in their personal service and the brotherhood forged during deployment, they share deep ambivalence and division regarding what the prolonged “War on Terror” ultimately achieved.
  • Evaluating the Conflicts: Several veterans draw distinctions between the individual conflicts. For example, Byrnes notes that while the initial intervention in Afghanistan felt necessary directly following 9/11, the invasion of Iraq was not, and the prolonged, decades-long occupation of Afghanistan became an “avalanche” of unintended consequences stemming from decisions made along the way.
  • Reflections 25 Years Later: The overarching theme addresses the cost of the warsboth human and strategicand how veterans grapple with the complex legacy of answering the nation’s call following 9/11 versus the political and military decisions that extended the fighting for a quarter of a century.


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