No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Guardsmen reflect on desire to serve following 9/11

Crystal Kupper
by Crystal Kupper
September 11, 2022
9/11

Marc Yablonka receives a challenge coin from MG Paul Mock, CG, 63RD Readiness Command, USAR. Courtesy Marc Yablonka

Air National Guard Capt. Erik Kallstrom was working as a civilian aircraft mechanic at Boston’s Logan International Airport the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. More than 2,500 miles away, California State Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Marc Yablonka was a 50-year-old English-as-a-second-language teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Kallstrom went to an aircraft that was supposed to be taxiing but wasn’t.

“Don’t worry about this plane,” a man informed him. “We’re grounded.”

American Airlines Flight 11, which was hijacked by al-Qaida and would strike the World Trade Center’s North Tower, had taken off from Kallstrom’s airport. Someone told Yablonka, meanwhile, to turn on the television. He watched the Twin Towers fall, images of fiery debris searing themselves into permanent memory.

What both men witnessed that crisp, late-summer morning changed their life plans forever, each taking the oath of a guardsman. In doing so, they joined more than 181,000 fellow Americans who also enlisted in the military in the year after the 9/11. It was the largest single-year join-up since World War II. 

Sacrificial service after 9/11

Kallstrom had previously served as an active-duty airman, leaving the Air Force as a Senior Airman in 2000. Rejoining the military in any capacity wasn’t exactly front-of-mind. But when terrorists killed 2,977 people that Tuesday, he wanted to strike back for freedom. 

Air National Guard Capt. Erik Kallstrom. Courtesy Kallstrom

“I just wanted to be part of [the military] again,” he said. “I wanted to actually do something for the country and help out any way I could.” 

Kallstrom enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2002, deploying to France, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Kuwait in the years since. 

Yablonka realizes he isn’t a typical “I joined because of 9/11” story. Unlike the younger Kallstrom, Yablonka came of age in the Vietnam draft era, landing a 2-S deferment because he was in college. That fact often gnawed at him as the decades passed. 

“Even though I felt a sigh of relief in 1969, I felt inadequate as an American, that I had not served my country,” Yablonka said. “I felt like I needed to do something, but I didn’t know where to go and to whom to turn.” 

He became a journalist after university, writing for the Los Angeles Times and Reuters. In 1992, Yablonka began focusing on military journalism and was even able to travel to Vietnam for stories. 

But 9/11 pivoted his own story to something new: that of being a public affairs officer (PAO) with the 40th Infantry Division Support Brigade and Installation Support Group, Joint Forces Training Base, in Los Alamitos, California. 

Country & calling

A friend who was already serving in the California State Guard (then called the California State Military Reserve) called after Sept. 11 to say that his unit needed a PAO. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Yablonka asked. “I’m 50 years old.”

That’s when he learned that 60 was the cutoff. He said yes, spending eight years covering National Guard and reserve happenings to and from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Saudi Arabia. 

“That’s how I came to do something for my country, wear a uniform and learn a little bit of the Army way,” said Yablonka, now 72. “I love that I was able to pitch in and give back, I think.” 

Kallstrom feels the same, pointing to America’s killing of Osama bin Laden and capturing of other terrorists as positive outcomes in the past 21 years. His service was ― and is ― powered by patriotism, he said. 

“My family is a long-time military family,” he explained. “We fought in World War I, II and Vietnam, and I just wanted to be able to do the same ― to serve my country.” 

Recently, Kallstrom asked a recruiter at his base in Port Hueneme, California, why most people join the military today, especially considering that some of them were not alive when the terrorist attacks happened. Her reply? For the monetary and educational benefits. 

“Is anyone writing down on their applications that they’re enlisting because they want to serve their country?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No one has said that for a while,” she answered. 

That bothers Kallstrom. He wants young military members of today to know what it felt like to be an American 21 years ago. 

“You saw Democrats and Republicans standing on Capitol Hill, arm-in-arm, singing ‘God Bless America,’” he remembered. “I wish I could show them that kind of America again.”

Read comments
Tags: 20019-119/11 anniversaryCapt. Erik KallstromChief Warrant Officer 2 Marc YablonkaSept. 11terror attackterrorist attackTwin Towers
Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper is a writer, photographer, runner, mom of (at least) four and Air Force wife currently stationed in Arizona. There's nowhere she'd rather be other than with her family or chatting about orphan justice.

Related Posts

Southwest border mission spurs ‘mixed feelings’ among guardsmen

by Will Martin
1 hour ago
0
Border mission

The Southwest border mission is a prolonged federal effort and, more recently, a highly politicized mission at the state level.

Read more

AFRC warns of fake social media accounts

by AmeriForce Exclusive
1 week ago
0
Social media

Air Force Reserve Command's social media manager warns of fake social media accounts and urges people to take precautions.

Read more

TRICARE, modernization atop list of legislative priorities

by Joseph LaFave
1 week ago
0
TRICARE

TRICARE, modernized equipment and parity with active-duty service components remain at the top of several military lobbyist’s to-do lists.

Read more

Hokanson to Army Guard Leaders: Tell our story

by National Guard Bureau
2 weeks ago
0
Hokanson

The National Guard is integral to the National Defense Strategy, Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson told Army Guard leaders Jan. 11.

Read more

New format coming to RNG Drill newsletter

by Kari Williams
4 weeks ago
0
RNG Drill

Reserve & National Guard Magazine's bi-monthly newsletter, RNG Drill, will look a bit different beginning this year.

Read more

New veterans head to Congress, including January 6-er

by Military.com
4 weeks ago
0
New veterans

New veterans will begin roaming the halls of Congress next week, contributing to one of the biggest classes of lawmakers...

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERANS TOOLKIT

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • RESOURCES
    • VETERANS TOOLKIT
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW