Veterans remember 9/11 in different ways. For Warrior Ryan, the memories of that day are inseparable from the life that followed.
On September 11, 2001, Ryan watched as the attacks unfolded on television. Like millions of Americans, he struggled to process what he was seeing. But for Ryan, the events of that morning would soon become deeply personal.
The very next day, September 12, 2001, Ryan enlisted in the United States Army.
He was the first person in his family to join the military, answering what he describes as an immediate calling to serve and protect his country. Over the next 14 years, Ryan served as an infantryman and spent more than 28 months in combat.
“I saw things that changed me,” Ryan said. “I lost friends and experienced things that I carried home with me…but I didn’t really understand what I had brought back.”
25 years later, Ryan’s story reflects the lasting impact of that day – not only on the nation, but on the generation of men and women who answered the call to serve in the years that followed. Today, he shares that journey alongside his Service Dog Caliber.
Veterans Remember Lives Changed by September 11
For many Veterans, September 11 was more than a moment in history. It was the beginning of a journey.
In the months and years after the attacks, Americans across the country enlisted in the military, joining a generation that would go on to serve during nearly two decades of war. Ryan was one of them.
During his Army career, Ryan served as part of “Team Dealer,” the call sign for Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. His unit deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, during some of the deadliest fighting of the Iraq War.
The experience would change the course of his life. Ryan lost seven men he fought alongside during the first surge into Ramadi. But for him, the losses did not end when he came home. Since returning from service, four additional members of his former unit have died by suicide.
“The battle still isn’t over for a lot of us,” Ryan said. “We came home from war, but many of us never really left it.”
Ryan frequently visits the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia where the names of friends he served alongside are honored on a Global War on Terrorism Memorial. It’s a deeply personal reminder of the cost of war and of the lives and friendships forever connected to his decision to enlist the day after 9/11.
From the Battlefield to Coming Home
When Ryan medically retired from the Army, he expected civilian life to be easier than combat. Instead, he faced a different kind of battle.
“Going back to civilian life was a real culture shock,” he said. “I was completely changed. I was numb, angry and I ruined a lot of relationships because of it.”
Ryan struggled with PTSD, substance abuse and isolation. He had difficulty maintaining relationships and finding his place outside of the military.
“At one point, I was taking more than 20 medications and felt like a zombie,” he said. “I had survived combat but hadn’t figured out how to survive coming home.”
Then, Ryan began to see what healing could look like. At a reunion with fellow soldiers, he reconnected with another Veteran who had received a Service Dog through K9s For Warriors. Ryan remembered how different his fellow Veteran seemed.
“I didn’t even recognize him,” Ryan recalled. “His demeanor, his attitude…he was happy and joyful.”
Later, Ryan saw him again and asked what had changed – the answer was simple.
“It’s the dog, man.”
Those words stayed with Ryan. Soon after, he knew what he had to do and applied to K9s For Warriors.
Finding His Way Back With Service Dog Caliber
Ryan was paired with Service Dog Caliber in August 2020, but getting there was not easy. He remembers sitting in his truck when he first arrived at K9s For Warriors, building up the courage to get out and walk through the doors. Eventually, he did.
“And when I walked through those doors, it felt like home,” Ryan said.
Then came Dog Day. Ryan was the last person in his class to meet his Service Dog. Finally, he walked through the door and saw Caliber – a black Labrador with floppy ears and golden-brown eyes.
The first thing Caliber did was bring Ryan his favorite toy: a stuffed chicken. That was the beginning of their journey together.
“I quickly realized that he wasn’t just a dog,” Ryan said. “He is my partner, protector and my way back into this world.”
One of Caliber’s earliest gifts to Ryan was the confidence to begin doing ordinary things again. Their first outing together alone was a trip to Publix, and for most people, it might have been an ordinary trip to the grocery store.
For Ryan, it was a victory, and that first victory became part of something much bigger.
In the six years since Ryan and Caliber were paired, Caliber has helped Ryan rebuild stability, connection and hope. Ryan has dramatically reduced his prescription medications, no longer abuses drugs, rarely drinks and has worked to rebuild relationships with his family and community.
Just as importantly, Caliber helped Ryan begin to believe that he was not broken beyond repair. And eventually, Ryan said, Caliber gave him a reason to believe he still had something to give.
“Caliber didn’t erase my PTSD or take away the memories and losses,” Ryan said. “But he gave me a reason to get up in the morning and leave the house.”
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial, 25 Years Later
This summer, Ryan and Caliber traveled to New York City for the first time. Together, they visited the 9/11 Memorial – a journey Ryan had never imagined when he enlisted in the Army on September 12, 2001.
For Ryan, standing at the Memorial brought his story full circle. 25 years earlier, the attacks inspired him to serve.
That decision led him to the Army, to combat and to friendships that would shape the rest of his life. And ultimately, it led him to Caliber.
Their visit to the 9/11 Memorial was a chance to reflect not only on the lives lost on September 11, but also on the lasting impact of that day on an entire generation of Veterans.
For Ryan, remembering 9/11 means remembering those who never came home. It means remembering the friends whose names now live on memorials. And it means recognizing that, for many Veterans, the journey did not end when their military service did.
“Some came home with visible wounds,” Ryan said. “Others carried wounds you couldn’t see. And some never came home at all.”
A 9/11 Story That Continues
Today, Ryan is determined to use his experiences to help other Veterans who may be struggling in silence, and the losses within his former unit have only strengthened that commitment.
Two men Ryan served with are currently on the waitlist to receive Service Dogs through K9s For Warriors after Ryan encouraged them to apply. Following a funeral for another former service member earlier this year, Ryan also connected with more Veterans and hopes to encourage others to seek help. He knows firsthand how difficult that first step can be.
“The help is out there – don’t be afraid to ask for it,” Ryan said. “Don’t let your demons get the best of you, because eventually you’ll lose the war. There are still so many Veterans fighting battles long after combat ends.”
For Ryan, that is one of the most important lessons of his story. The things he survived did not have to be the end of his story – they could become the reason he helps someone else write a different ending to theirs. And Caliber has been beside him through it all.
25 years after the attacks of September 11 changed the course of his life, Ryan is still finding his way forward – one step, one conversation and one day at a time.
Veterans Remember 9/11 in Their Own Words
Determined to end Veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that provides trained Service Dogs to military Veterans nationwide suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma — at no financial cost to the Veteran. Backed by groundbreaking scientific research from the University of Arizona’s OHAIRE Lab, the program demonstrates how Service Dogs can help mitigate symptoms of PTSD while simultaneously restoring confidence and independence. Founded in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, K9s For Warriors is committed to saving lives at both ends of the leash by primarily rescuing dogs and pairing them with Veterans in need. The organization is also dedicated to raising awareness about Veterans’ mental health and driving policy-level reform. To date, K9s has paired more than 1,350 Veterans across all 50 states with life-changing Service Dogs and rescued more than 2,500 dogs.
