STEAM Success Foundation

STEAM Success Foundation Board of Directors:
Jesse A. Lineberger (Executive Director)
Stevie Lee (Board Member)
Gabriel Frunza (Board Member)

09/11/2024

In Silent Prayer on 9/11

On that day, the sky was still,
A nation shattered, broken hearts.
We remember the lives taken,
And the heroes who faced the flames.

Some gave everything that day,
Others would fall in the years to come,
From the hidden wounds of that moment,
Yet their courage lives with us still.

For every soul lost, every tear shed,
For the families who carry the weight,
We offer our prayers,
For those who left, and those who remain.

Grief is not just pain, it’s absence,
An emptiness carved deep within.
It tears through the core of who you are,
Leaving a space that cannot be filled.

Yet time and love will weave around it,
Not to erase, but to hold the loss.
We honor them by carrying their light,
Through the brokenness, we stand together.

So, let us keep them close in our hearts,
Each name a light that never fades.
Through prayer and remembrance, they live on,
In the legacy of the love they leave behind.

09/11/2024

As I reflect on the tragic events of September, 11, 2001:

Twenty-three years ago, I was 31 years old, a Staff Sergeant in the Army, serving as the Air Traffic Control Facility Chief at Wright Army Air Field on Fort Stewart, Georgia. That morning, I was sitting in the fitness center of The Links at Georgetown, my apartment complex in Savannah, getting a workout in before my shift. That morning was just like any other day until it wasn’t.

At around 8:45 a.m., when watching the television, the news broke: American Airlines Flight 11 had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. I was stunned. It felt surreal, like a scene from a movie, but this was real life. My first reaction was disbelief; how could something like this be happening? Immediately I called my facility, and while I was on the phone, barely 15 minutes later, I watched in horror as United Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. My thoughts were racing. Was this a tragic accident or something more malicious and sinister? The second strike confirmed what I was beginning to fear.

About 30 minutes after the attacks on the Twin Towers, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. It felt like my worst assumptions were being realized in real-time, we were under attack, and at a minimum, this had to be a coordinated terrorist assault. I rushed to work, and by the time I arrived, the Fort Stewart was on high alert. Air traffic had been grounded, and the entire installation felt tense, as if the world had shifted in an instant.

I called my wife, I called my family. The lines were jammed, and phone calls took forever to connect. Everyone was trying to reach their loved ones, trying to understand the chaos unfolding before our eyes. It was a tragedy unlike anything I had ever seen in my 31 years.

This was the Pearl Harbor of my time, 9/11 will too remain a date that will forever live in infamy. Beyond the shock and devastation, it was also a day that plunged the United States into the Global War on Terrorism, igniting a relentless hunt for Osama bin Laden and all those who supported or sheltered terror. As President Bush would later declare, it was now “a war against all those who seek to export terror, and a war against those governments that support or shelter them.”

Now, 23 years later, I am a retired Army First Sergeant, and I look back on that day with the perspective of both a Soldier and a civilian. I remember the emotions, shock, fear, uncertainty, and how that moment changed the course of not just my life, but the world’s. As we reflect on the 2,977 lives lost between the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania, we are reminded of the cost of that day. It’s a day still vivid in my mind, a moment that shaped who I am today, as a leader and a human being.

Please say a prayer for all those who lost their lives on 9/11, for the brave first responders who later succumbed to illnesses from their exposure that day, and for the families who continue to live with the loss of their loved ones. Let us keep them all in our hearts.

08/25/2024

I don't expect everyone to read this, it will be a little long, but frankly this subject may have touched you during the course of our friendship. While having a political pi***ng contest with Charles Forrest, Charles struck a nerve in me. He was blaming the state of the economy on the current administration, well I think it has provided a lot of opportunity! Lately people have been bitching about the economy, when they really are missing the bigger picture. Much of our economy is set up for you as a consumer, investor, or entrepreneur to take advantage of it, its a capitalistic society, while many complain about the government helping out with student loans and medical care, its probably because you haven't taken advantage of what this country has been good at, business!

Life is about choices. For over three decades, I’ve emphasized the importance of investing to my friends, family, and Soldiers, often discussing strategies like starting an IRA and the rule of 72, which demonstrates the power of compound interest. Recently, I’ve found myself defending our economy because the United States remains the undisputed global economic leader. Our GDP is over 40% larger than China’s, and while the U.S. economy grew in 2023, China’s faltered. The strength of the U.S. economy lies in its diversity, spanning sectors such as manufacturing, services, technology, and finance. It’s an open economy that welcomes foreign investment, but what truly sets it apart is its capacity to take care of its own—if you choose to learn, invest, buy real estate, and avoid simply following the crowd. In this country, you can start a business, invent a product, or provide a service, but if you stand by and complain without action, you’ll quickly find that America’s competitive spirit will leave you behind.

I can remember sitting with Craig Rector, a former NCO leader of mine in the Army, discussing various stocks and investment strategies during out time together in Germany. Craig had a saying that stuck with me: "My pennies are like Soldiers; I want them to work hard for me!" While I am not working my pennies like Soldiers, the mindset of compounding my small meager wage into something that could provide my family and I a better tomorrow has guided my approach to investing for over three decades. While not every investment has been life-changing, and not every market period has yielded the best returns, the aggregate results have been lifechanging. The journey has been eye-opening, and I’ve had the privilege of sharing what I’ve learned with others along the way, particularly my children, Dylan Lineberger, who is a property owner at the age of twenty, investor, entrepreneur, and an economics student at the University of Texas, a realtor, and track athlete.

If you haven’t learned something from me about investing, or real-estate you simply weren’t paying attention. My goal has always been to inspire those around me to take control of their financial futures. I have always reminded those under my charge that it was their responsibility to put themselves and their family in a better position. Whether through direct advice or simply leading by example, I’ve aimed to spark that curiosity and drive in others. If all I did, was give you the inspiration to learn, then I’ve done my part—and so has everyone else who’s taken that step to educate themselves and take control of their financial destiny. Because in the end, it’s not just about the money; it’s about the choices we make and the legacy we build, one wise investment at a time.

So in closing, don’t blame your poor choices on an economy that stands as a global leader; blame yourself and make a change. As F. Scott Fitzgerald said in his poem Hope, "You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it." The truth is, you make your bed, and you lay in it. The opportunities are there, but it’s up to you to seize them, learn from your mistakes, and strive for better. Success doesn’t come to those who wait for it—it comes to those who take responsibility, adapt, and persist in making the best of what they have. The power to change your future is in your hands, and the only real failure is not trying at all. I love you all!

Jesse A. Lineberger

Address

1101 SATELLITE VIEW SUITE 504
View, TX
78665

Telephone

+15129473219

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