During the Remembrance Ceremony, Lieutenant General Tony Aguto, Commander of the Rock Island Arsenal, spoke on the importance of family supporting our troops.
"The strength of our nation is our army. The strength of our army is our soldiers. But the strength of our soldiers are our families. And that is no truer than today."
The keynote speaker was Command Sergeant Major Stephen Blake, who initiated the effort to create the 9/11 Memorial on Arsenal Island. He talked about the courage of of emergency workers on the day of the tragedy, and the courage of the service members in the years since.
"And lastly, the courage of this tremendous community. The Quad cities community. All of you sitting and standing here, having the courage and commitment to keep your word to never forget."
The 9-11 ceremony also included a wreath-laying, 21-gun salute, and the National Anthem sung by the All Saints Catholic School Choir.
A local Gold Star family laid the wreath at the memorial in honor of their son, Corporal B.J. Luxmore. He died in Afghanistan in 2012.
Earlier this morning, employees and military personnel carried American flags representing the more than 10,000 who have died in service since 9/11. The flags were placed near the 9/11 Memorial.
