inside Aggie heroes Twenty-seven A&M former students gave their lives to protect our American freedoms in the War on Terror. Learn more on page 3.
thebattalion ● tuesday,
september 11, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
11 years later Attack on America changes the world Jennifer Keith Special to The Battalion A passenger jet slams into a skyscraper. Crowds flee from an avalanche of debris. Flame and smoke pour from the western side of the Pentagon. A crater smolders in a Pennsylvania field. Eleven years ago, these images played across television screens around the world, altering America’s national consciousness and political landscape. After the attacks, the government enacted changes that immediately created new programs and policies. At Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service and newly acquired Center for Innovation, there has been a progression of teaching and research in response to the changing environment of national security after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. “We all know of the major governmental changes, such as the new Department of Homeland Security and parallel efforts in state and local government,” said Sharon Caudle, Bush School professor and former staff member of the U.S. Govern-
ment Accountability Offices. “Notfor-profit organizations such as the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army revamped and expanded their preparedness efforts.” Then-president George W. Bush put forth endeavors to increase national security through efforts such as reorganizing the intelligence community and changing the FBI’s mission from simply prosecuting crimes to protecting the U.S. against attacks. Additionally, acts such as the Homeland Security Act, the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act were created. Because of the funding required to operate these government initiatives, the post-9/11 circumstances have required Americans to weigh their priorities, according to Jasen Castillo, assistant professor at the Bush School. “[Sept. 11] created a large national effort to protect the American homeland from further attack, including a counterterrorism campaign abroad,” Castillo said. “These See 9/11 on page 4
File — THE BATTALION
guest column
bryan-college station
Remembering 9/11 Nicole Ozoa: ‘The day started like any other’
S
ept. 11, 2001, is a day that personally tugs at the heartstrings. At the turn of each September, many reflect on the question, “Where were you on 9/11?”
Eleven years ago, I lived in Westchester County, N.Y., a suburban community about an hour away from New York City. It was common for many people, like my father, to commute a long distance to work in the city and Sept. 11, 2001, was no exception. The day started like any other. It was 8:30 a.m. when I made it to school. I sat in “homeroom” in the front and center seat of my fifth-grade class ready to seize the day. After eagerly waiting for my teacher, I looked over and saw misery on her face. 9:05 a.m. Appalled by the contrast between her upset expression and her usually very sunny personality, I knew something wasn’t right. Shortly after, the principal walked into our room and told our class the very solemn news that “there was an attack on America, planes flew into the twin towers, and that the state of New York was in a lot of turmoil.” When I heard that, my heart sank because I knew his simplification of the issue didn’t even scratch the surface of how grave it really was. In my own frenzy, I ran to the school office to borrow a phone to call my mother to see if she heard from my dad. The line was painfully long. By the time I got to talk to my mother, she was in tears, and so was I. As a child who didn’t exactly understand the geography of New York City, I assumed the worst. I asked if dad was alive, and my mother told me that she didn’t hear anything from him due to the poor cell phone service in the city. Left with no answer, I panicked through the rest of the school day praying that my dad would come home for dinner. At 8 p.m. we still hadn’t heard from my dad, but I watched the reruns of the twin towers falling on the news trying to spot him in the crowd of people running. I was told he worked pretty far from the towers, which only slightly calmed my nerves. I watched people jumping from the towers on TV and tried to decipher if
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they were trying to save themselves, end it early or if they even really had a choice. The garage door opened at 10 p.m. I knew it was my dad arriving home. Filled with relief and excitement to see him, I ran downstairs to pummel him with the biggest hug I could give him. He was covered in dust and I had never seen him look so exhausted. My father recounted his story to my family, telling me that he heard the twin towers fall and that the city was covered in dust. He told me because the roads were packed with emergency vehicles, the quickest way out of the city was by foot. He walked across Triboro Bridge to the Bronx where he hitched a ride with a friend to get home. The days following the attack were solemn, yet unifying. While I am lucky that I did not lose any family members to the attacks, the community I lived in was shaken with casualties of neighbors and acquaintances. Memorials for the fallen were accompanied by candles that lit the streets of our neighborhood at night. Blood donation centers, food drives and monetary donations were hugely advocated and garnered high rates of participation. There was such a high air of friendship and selflessness that helped comfort such a sad time in New York. Through the turmoil and sadness, the heroic efforts of the emergency relief personnel and the cumulative efforts of New Yorkers and Americans nationwide proved that we were an unshakable country. Eleven years later, my memory of the day replays through my head during each anniversary. At such a young age, this tragedy taught me a lesson about unity and made me gain a strong sense of American pride.
Nicole Ozoa is a senior biology major.
Firefighters to honor NY first responders in stair climb Julie Blanco The Battalion As the 11th anniversary of the attack on America arrives, firefighters plan a memorial event for those who lost their lives in the line a duty. Community members will be participating in the second Memorial Stair Climb at 8 a.m. Tuesday at the Varisco Building in Downtown Bryan At the memorial event firefighters will climb 110 stories of stairs, the same height as the World Trade Center. Since the Varisco Building is seven stories tall, the firefighters will climb to the top and back 15 times, then climb once more to the fifth floor, to equal 110 stories of stairs.
The firefighters will be wearing full bunker gear just as the first responders did during their attempt to rescue those in the World Trade Centers on Sept. 11, 2001. “Basically we’re just trying to honor those people that selflessly lost their lives when all they were doing was trying to help,” said Jordan Gallagher, B shift battalion chief at Bryan Fire Department. “We’re trying to symbolically finish their journey for them.” Gallagher was one of the creators of the event last year. Since there was a substantial turnout of participants, he and fellow firefighters decided to See Staircase on page 6
campus
Applicants compete for vet school slots Josh McKenna The Battalion The College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M accepts 132 students each year, and in 2011, 284 students fell short of the school’s rigorous admission requirements. The college was established in 1916 and is one of 28 veterinary medical programs in the U.S. accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association — the only accredited doctor of veterinary medicine program in the state of Texas. There are only 10 possible positions for out-of-state applicants. “We are so focused on Texas students that spending the extra time on out-of-state students is not worth the trouble. Eighty to 85 percent of all applicants are Texans,” said Kenita Rogers, associate dean for professional programs in the college. Rogers plays a role in the review process and said 50
Courtesy
Students work with microscopes and other lab equipment in a veterinary parasitology lab. percent of applicants earn the opportunity to participate in the multiple mini-interviews, a format adopted with recent application years. “I’ve actually had people tell me they had fun [with the interviews],” Rogers said. Not all students gain admis-
sion on the first go-around. For many, the interview presents a hurdle. Charlet Hubertus, a third-year student in the veterinary medicine program, encourages interview preparation. See Veterinary on page 6
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