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The day that changed everything

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Zach Anderson
  • 931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  As Lt. Col. Tony Brusca made pre-flight preparations as a co-pilot in a KC-135 stratotanker at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., on Sept. 11, 2001, he wasn't anticipating anything unusual.

"We were getting ready to do a regular training mission. Someone in the aircraft got a cell phone call and we were told that one of the twin towers had been hit by an airplane. We thought that was odd, but of course, we thought it was an accident," said Brusca, commander of the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

"The training mission was still on at that point, and then, from the command post, someone came over the radio and just blurted out 'A second plane has hit the twin towers!'. My aircraft commander said, 'We're under attack.'"

And that, Brusca said, is the moment he came to a realization.

"I knew nothing was going to be the same after that day. I knew my military experience was about to change. Everything up to that point had been the first part of my career, and everything changed after that."

Ten years removed from the day that marked the worst terrorist attack in history to occur on American soil, members of the 931st reflected on just how much the events of that day have affected the unit over the past decade.

"The biggest change I've seen is us getting much more involved operationally," said Lt. Col. Mike Moeding, 18th Air Refueling Squadron Operations Officer, who has been assigned to the 931st since 1997. "In all aspects, we've been doing our part to relieve the burden on the active duty. They were so stressed, and we have so many assets that were needed. To use Gen. Stenner's words, it marked the change between a strategic reserve to an operational reserve," said Moeding.

Maj. Glenn T. Clark, 931st Air Refueling Group Chief of Safety, had the distinction of serving as the aircraft commander for the first tanker flight out of McConnell following the attacks, on Sept. 12, 2001.

"We flew to Washington, D.C., and set up an air refueling orbit near the Pentagon. We could see it burning as we waited to refuel the fighters that were patrolling. Later on, we were directed to drop into Dover Air Force Base and we began picking up and moving commanders to different bases where they needed to be," he said.

Now, Clark looks back on that first post-9/11 flight as a turning point for the 931st.

"It was the first step toward the 931st becoming an operational reserve unit," he said. "We didn't know we were headed that way back then because none of us really knew what the long-term impact would be. Now, the mission requires the forces of the Air Force Reserve. That was a new concept ten years ago."

Brusca said that the operational demands placed on the 931st over the last ten years have helped the organization to become a stronger asset for the Air Force.

"As the decade since 9/11 has passed, the 931st has grown up. We've expanded and gotten stronger. Our maintenance is active in deployments, and our civil engineers have been all over on deployments working on airfields and construction projects."

He continued, "Since 9/11, our organization has truly become a legitimate partner for the active duty and that is what truly makes the association here at McConnell between the 22nd Air Refueling Wing and the 931st Air Refueling Group that much more successful."

Moeding agreed.

"There has been much more reliance on the Reserve unit. In the past, we were sort of looked upon as the JV team, but we are really playing more and more of a varsity role now."

Of course, the decade of high operational tempo and increased demand for Reservist has also brought challenges.

"It's difficult to be a Reservist now," said Brusca. "Before, we were responsible to be trained to the same standards as the active duty. Now, we're continuing to do that training in addition to deployments virtually once a year. To be a Reservist now you have to sacrifice much more of your time from your family and your civilian career than before. "

"Some have adapted well to the tempo, and some haven't been able to," said Moeding. "We have suffered some losses simply because there are individuals who can't deploy due to family and civilian job commitments. And sometimes individuals have to make the decision to leave the military because of that."

But despite these challenges, all three members said that the ten years since 9/11 have brought about many positives for the 931st.

"With the size of our military and the missions that have been placed in front of us to achieve victory, the last ten years have necessitated that we be available and work seamlessly with the active duty. By combining our experience and continuity with their flexibility and numbers, we've been able to achieve something that without the two would not be nearly as effective or successful."

"I think it's really brought us closer to each other as teammates." said Clark. "That, to me, is one big positive; the closeness within the unit and the knowledge that we are making a difference. Air Force wide, I think it has helped everyone realize the vital role and the capability we are able to provide."

"The deployments have added a stress, but they've made us more tight knit," said Moeding. "We've had to become more tight knit. The camaraderie and the family atmosphere in this unit have gotten even stronger."

And, despite all that has changed with the challenges and demands of the past decade, Moeding said there's one thing at the 931st that has always stayed the same.

"The spirit has never been lost," he said. "The spirit is still there."