09/11/2026
A MESSAGE TO OUR MEMBERS
September 11 — We Remember
Fellow Members,
Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, our nation experienced a tragedy that forever changed the lives of countless Americans and people around the world.
For those of us who remember that day, many of the moments remain vivid—the images, the uncertainty, the tremendous loss, and, amid the devastation, extraordinary examples of courage, compassion, and selfless service.
Today, we pause to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost on September 11. We remember their families and loved ones, whose lives were forever changed. We honor the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, military members, and ordinary citizens who responded with remarkable courage—many placing the lives of others before their own.
We also remember what followed.
In the years after September 11, thousands of American service members answered our nation’s call. Their families served alongside them through deployments, separation, uncertainty, injury, and loss. Some returned home carrying wounds that could be seen; others carried wounds that could not.
Their service and sacrifice must never be forgotten.
As members of the martial arts community, we understand that strength carries responsibility. The values we endeavor to preserve—courage, respect, discipline, service, and concern for others—have meaning only when they are demonstrated through our actions.
September 11 reminds us that courage is not simply the absence of fear. It can be the decision to help another person despite that fear. Service is not simply an obligation. It is a commitment to something greater than ourselves.
On this 25th anniversary, we honor all those whose lives were lost, all who responded, all who served in the years that followed, and all the families who shared in that service and sacrifice.
May we remember them not only today, but through the character we demonstrate, the communities we strengthen, and the example we leave for the generations that follow.
We remember. We honor. We will never forget.
With Respect,
Bruce R. Bethers
President, USMAF
