He guys, just thought you'd all like to hear this story...

A friend of mine is a part of the State Guard in NY, I'm not quite sure what they are called, but they are essentially an organized militia.. he joined this unit because New Jersey has no equivalent.

His assignment was to work in an armory local to the sight, providing logistic support and doing "MP duty"...

He recounted a service he attended at St Patrick's cathedral where a throng of people greeted the end of the ceremony with a chorus of  America the Beautiful... he said it was one of the most emotional moments in his life...

Everywhere here in tree-hugger central NJ, there are flags waving and people lending a hand... a local fire company in town has raised something like $50,000 for the FF widows and orphan's fund in just a few days... kids were breaking open piggy banks to put in the pot... the outpouring of support is absolutely amazing..

Another friend, a firefighter in NJ, spent several days staffing an Engine company in Brooklyn... to cover for the NYFD men missing or committed in the rescue...

I am confident that if NYC asked for 800 fully manned fire trucks on Staten Island in two hours, they would get twice that many in half the time...every one of the men saying "whatever you need"....

Any of you guys in the armed services... we  civvies want to help you out too.... what can we do to help?  The will and means is there to do a whole lot more... the surface has hardly been scratched...

Unfortunately it seems that the f&%$#@g terrorists were using NJ as their home away from home.

arbob, your right and in my back yard of Sleezside Heights too.