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Power drive No. 24 A&M women’s golf tees off the season Sunday with the “Mo”Morial tournament at Traditions in Bryan. Read about the Aggies’ expectations online at thebatt.com.
Dorm fire What would a dorm fire look like? Check out the batt.com today to watch footage of a burning dorm demonstration from Thursday night on Duncan field.
thebattalion Aggie families face war ● friday,
september 9, 2011
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
nation &world 9/11 terror threat Officials have received a credible but unconfirmed terror threat having to do with New York or Washington. A counterterrorism official tells The Associated Press that law enforcement officials have been investigating the intelligence since it was received late Wednesday night. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security information. Since the information in the threat is so specific and so near to the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, it could not be ignored. Security measures around the country, including in New York and Washington, have been enhanced in the weeks leading up to the anniversary.
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‘I still struggle with this, but life does go on’ Mealanie Starling Special to The Battalion
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or many, the memories of 9/11 are vivid recollections of a day in history that redefined the word terrorism. For the Sims family, it forever changed the course of their lives, eventually taking the life of a father, husband and friend.
“It took me a long time, not sure if it was months or years, to realize how 9/11 was the driving force that changed our family,” said Heidi Sims, class of 1996. “If 9/11 would have never happened, Sean would not have been in Iraq and would probably be alive today.” Heidi’s husband, U.S. Army Captain Sean Sims, class of 1994, was killed in action in Iraq during the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. He was 32. Sean and his siblings lived the life of a traveling military family. From
Heidi and Sean Sims, with son Colin COURTESY
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an early age, Sean’s father said he adamantly embraced the culture. “There was never any doubt in his mind of what he really wanted to do, which was to go into the army,” said Col. Thomas “Reb” Sims, class of 1962. Following family tradition, Sean enrolled at Texas A&M University, joined the Corps of Cadets and pushed himself to major in mechanical engineering. During his sophomore year, Sean was selected as See Sims on page 5
‘Jonathan felt the need to protect our country’ Sarah Smith The Battalion
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essica Rozier is an animal science major. She listens to New Kids on the Block, enjoys iceskating, Harry Potter movies and playing with her son, Justin.
Associated Press
sports Football tickets Additional tickets to Texas A&M football games are on sale after teams returned some of their allotment. Fans can purchase tickets at 12thMan Foundation.com and Aggie Athletics.com. tickets are also available inside the ticket center in the Zone at Kyle Field. Each Aggie opponent gets 3,850 tickets to Kyle Field and the University of Texas is the only school to retain its full allotment. A&M fans have all ready purchased the tickets returned by Oklahoma State and Baylor. Tickets to the Arkansas game in Cowboys Stadium are also available through Texas A&M. Adrian O’Hanlon III, Staff Writer
Like many of us, she’s a loud and proud Fightin’ Texas Aggie. More importantly, though, Jessica gives two “Whoops!” in appreciation of our soldiers — one for herself, and one for her late husband, Jonathan, class of 2001, who was killed while serving in Baghdad, Iraq. When Jessica came to A&M in 1999, she had a Corps state of mind. “When I was in high school, I was going to enlist in the army,” Rozier said. “My dad, class of 1968, was adamant about being in the Corps of Cadets first.” It was in her outfit, B1, that Jes-
sica met the economics major from Katy who she would later marry. Jessica chuckled as she remembered the circumstances surrounding their budding courtship. “It was actually a bit scandalous,” Rozier said. “I ended up leaving the Corps so we could date.” The two were married in 2001. That same year, Jonathan graduated from A&M and the twin towers fell. “When it happened, we were just three months from getting married,” Rozier said. “Jonathan felt the need to protect our country and enlisted
Doug Klembara— THE BATTALION
See Wife on page 3
‘I go weeks, sometimes months, without hearing their voices’ Joanna Raines The Battalion
S ters h g u a d n with tephanie i k A n i r E nd S Hilary a
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Jessica and Justin, widow and son of Jonathan Rozier
ept. 11 changed Americans’ lives forever. As a nation, those who remember the attacks possess a similar wound that stings at the thought of the day.
For many military families, that wound is especially deep. The attacks on this nation led to an extended war, tearing men and women from their loved ones for months or years at a time to serve their nation overseas. For the Akin family, a military lifestyle is the norm. The Akins have a family tradition of being Aggies, as well as serving in the armed forces. Mark Akin graduated from A&M in 1980 with a degree in business management. He married Erin Akin, and they began the courageous journey of raising a military family together. Mark Akin has served in the military for
28 years and has been deployed overseas for almost four. His current deployment is for a year. “He missed our daughter’s senior year in high school and now he is missing time with our youngest daughter. This doesn’t include the countless other celebrations missed,” Erin said. On Sept. 11, 2001, the Akin family was stationed in Germany. Thousands of miles away, the tragedy still deeply affected their family. “9/11 had so many impacts on my famSee Family on page 3
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