we are at the intersection of what it means to serve in the military and what it means to be a Northlander How we remember the veterans who fought for our country says a lot about who we are As soon as this armory was open there was active deployment protecting not only our state but the nation That tradition in Minnesota of always being ready to serve no matter the hardships is a proud legacy Oh yeah It's not going to be what you expect There's a a lot of things that happen that uh probably shouldn't talk about ever again As we remember those who lost their lives we pray that you would surround families and friends and all who grieve Minnesota has a a pretty rich history of service in the US Army specifically when uh Abraham Lincoln called for soldiers So the first Minnesota was uh the beginning of major military activities The drummer boy the Civil War his memory and that his legacy lives on When stitched together there are key events that create the broad and complex tapestry that is American military history Code talkers they were still held in secrecy They had a top security clearance They could be flying this way look over their right shoulder lock onto a target The Taliban was literally right on the other side of the gate The tragic events of September 11th our own 148th Air National Guard Bulldogs were immediately called into action Understanding these events from a Northland perspective helps bring context to how our region fits into our nation I took the bullets out of my gun and for the rest of my 397 days in war and how our service members define us But somebody's got to defend the country United in Service Military history from America's Northland Only on PBS North