Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Navy Admiral Christopher W. Grady today commemorated the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, during a ceremony in the Pentagon courtyard.

In their speeches, Hicks and Grady noted that the events of September 11 had led to a renewed sense of patriotism and community service throughout the country.

“In the year after 9/11, over a quarter of a million Americans enlisted in the military with no military experience whatsoever and, like countless others, committed to public service,” Hicks said, adding that many of them felt moved to change their career path to be part of something bigger than themselves.

“There are few clear signs in public service, and especially in military service, of a commitment to a higher purpose than life,” Hicks continued.

“The unity we showed after the attacks highlighted the best aspects of the United States of America as a nation. We showed that our common humanity is stronger than any force that seeks to divide us,” Grady said.

Hicks and Grady also praised the first responders and citizens who jumped into action following the attacks, including those who provided assistance at the Pentagon.

“There are many heroic stories that have come from that sense of duty. Of the first responders who rushed into the building despite the risk. Of those who waded through fire and smoke to pull a teammate to safety. And of those who used every tool, training or experience at their disposal to help and support those incapacitated, injured, struggling and frightened,” Hicks said.

“As we remember the heroes of that day – the first responders who put themselves in harm’s way, the Pentagon employees who tirelessly remained at their posts amid the chaos, and the countless people who came together to offer help – we are reminded of the unwavering spirit of the American people that reigned in those corridors and on that courtyard,” Grady said.

Hicks and Grady concluded their speech by honoring those who lost their lives in service to their country on September 11.

“Let us commit to honoring the memory of those we have lost by living our lives with purpose, by serving with integrity, and by working together to build a future where such acts of violence are but a distant memory; and may we continue to honor those we have lost by living with the same courage, strength, and devotion they showed on that fateful day,” Grady said.

“So this anniversary is meant to remind us of our ongoing responsibility to this country – to pass on the value of public service to every generation,” Hicks said, “to share this important history, to tell our stories, and to honor all those we have lost by name and in deed.”

A total of 184 people lost their lives when terrorists flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the southwest corner of the Pentagon, including passengers, crew members and people inside the Pentagon.

Exactly seven years later, on September 11, 2008, a memorial was unveiled to commemorate the victims.