NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY HAMPTON ROADS — The Navy invited News 3 anchor Blaine Stewart to sit down with the incoming Commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic. In this exclusive interview, Rear Adm. Douglas Verissimo reflects on the horrors of the September 11 attacks and the lessons learned since.
"There are nearly 3,000 names from September 11," Verissimo explains. "Although we can't remember 3,000 names, we can remember the events and what it took from their families, and what it took from the rest of us in their name, to continue to provide security and make the makeup keep America as safe as we possibly can," he adds.
In the weeks and months after the attacks in 2001, the military saw a surge of patriotism, with thousands of men and women signing up to serve their country. Then, the mission was clear. But 22 years later, there is a challenge in finding new recruits inspired to join the military. How do you recruit from a generation too young to remember?
"Clearly, September 11 was a change for anybody who's over 22 years old, or let's even call it 27 years old," Verissimo explains. "Most of the folks, all of the folks who we're really recruiting right now, were either not born or not old enough to really remember those events and how that shook us to the core," he adds.
In the more than two decades that have passed since the attacks, Rear Adm. Verissimo urges sailors, and all Americans, not to get complacent.
"If anything I learned from September 11, is we need to be wary today and not surprised tomorrow," Verissimo warns. "If we're ready today, and we're thinking about where that next threat comes, we won't be surprised like we were on September 11."
Watch Blaine's full, unedited conversation with Rear Adm. Verissimo in the video player above.
