American Valor Quarterly Issue 6 - Spring/Summer 2009 | Page 26

and was helping manage the scene and treating those who were
injured. Once enough emergency response teams arrived to help,
he came in to the National Military Command Center, his sleeves
rolled up from helping outside. We began the work of trying to
figure out who was responsible for the attacks, and what was going
to happen next. Would there be more attacks, and how would we
go about protecting our citizens, as well as our military personnel
stationed around the world?
Roberts: Of course there was a great deal of uncertainty still. At
that point I recall that the President did not return to Washington
right away. Were you part of that decision?
General Myers: I was not part of that decision. Where to
take him was a White House decision. He eventually wound
up in Omaha, Nebraska at Offutt Air Force Base, which is our
Strategic Air Command headquarters. I recall that we had a video
teleconference with the president from that location and again,
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001, prior to General Myers assuming
the position of Chairman. From left to right: Vice Chairman of the
there was so much uncertainty. If there were more attacks coming
JCS Gen Richard Myers, U.S. Air Force; Chairman of the JCS Gen.
and he came back to the White House, would that make our head
Henry Shelton, U.S. Army; U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael of state vulnerable? As things became clearer, he returned to
Ryan; U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki; U.S. Marine
Washington that afternoon.
Corps
Commandant Gen. James L. Jones; and U.S. Navy

information.
Roberts: As you write in the book, the atmosphere in the city was
somewhat chaotic, with Secretary of Sta