In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a diverse group of young Americans, many of whom might not have otherwise considered military service, stepped forward to enlist. While the scale of recruitment was modest—comprising less than 0.001 percent of the U.S. population in the following year—the decisions made by these individuals have had lasting impacts on their lives and reflect complex experiences shaped by two protracted wars.
Three veterans who enlisted shortly after 9/11 recounted their motivations, deployments, and the mixed legacy of their service. All three served in combat, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan, though their deployments often diverged from initial expectations of confronting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Instead, their assignments included Iraq, where a previously stable society descended into violent conflict following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and Afghanistan, where the insurgency intensified despite ongoing counterinsurgency efforts.
Marjorie K. Eastman, a former college volleyball captain who enlisted days after the attacks, entered the Army Army intelligence given restrictions on female combat roles at the time. She was deployed in 2003 to Iraq on special operations missions supporting classified Joint Special Operations Command. Eastman described the toll of military service but emphasized the meaningfulness of the mission amidst political frustrations, asserting that the comradeship and purpose gained were invaluable.
Army Captain Joe Kearns Goodwin, who had graduated from Harvard and had a background in political history, similarly chose military service over a civilian career path, driven by a sense of national duty. He led a light armored platoon in Iraq during the invasion and later joined the 2009 surge in Afghanistan, serving on the staff of U.S. and NATO forces. Goodwin reflected on the difficulties of his role, particularly in confronting civilian casualty incidents and the broader strategic challenges.
Ryan Jackson, who enlisted after witnessing the attacks on television, served as a machine gunner and later a squad leader in some of the deadliest combat zones in Iraq, including the 2006 battle for Ramadi. His experiences included near-daily firefights, severe injuries from roadside bomb blasts, and profound psychological struggles following his return. Jackson has lived with shrapnel wounds and a traumatic brain injury, and he credits a service dog for aiding his recovery amid ongoing challenges faced by many veterans of the conflicts.
All three veterans speak to a paradox in their service: while they and their units often won tactical battles, the long-term strategic outcomes were much less certain. Despite this, when asked whether they would reenlist, none hesitated to affirm their commitment. The shared sense of purpose and unity during service stands out as a defining element of their military experience.
Post-service, the paths of these veterans diverged significantly. Eastman pursued a corporate career and authored a book advocating for civilian service and community engagement, while also running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2022. Goodwin moved into the corporate sector and nonprofit work encouraging service but was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition tied to his military service. Jackson, medically retired, has faced ongoing health and mental health challenges common among combat veterans, including the loss of comrades to suicide.
Their stories underscore the enduring complexities and costs of service in the post-9/11 wars — from battlefield sacrifices and physical and psychological injury to the broader societal challenge of supporting veterans beyond initial expressions of gratitude. The legacy of these two decades of conflict remains deeply felt among those who served and continues to shape debates about military service, war, and veteran care in the United States.