When most people think of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., they think of the octagonal building full of military personnel and offices.
But, the Pentagon can also be described as a self-contained small city – complete with shops, restaurants, and businesses that even those with no military background would find familiar.
One of those businesses is PenFed Credit Union.
James Schneck worked in the Pentagon until Feb. 1, 2001, as the assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs. Today, he is PenFed’s president and CEO.
“Those were the offices that were hit on 9/11,” he said. “Had that been seven months earlier, I would have been in those offices with my colleagues.”
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On Sept. 11, 2001, Schneck was at PenFed’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, about six miles from the Pentagon.
Inside the PendFed branch at the Pentagon, 20 employees were at work at 9:37 a.m. when American Airlines flight 77 slammed into the building.
“We had heard about the World Trade Center being hit,” he recalled. “Our senior executives were gathered in our CEO’s office when we saw the black plume go up at the Pentagon.”
Schneck was in charge of corporate security for PenFed when the attacks occurred. Among the first thoughts to cross his mind when he saw the smoke plume go up was that he had people inside the Pentagon.
“It was very important that I and others went there so we had accountability for our employees,” he said.
Schneck said he ran the entire distance to the Pentagon.
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“I saw so many others running towards the building,” he said. “We had first responders, police, firefighters, and civilians from Arlington.”
He said he continues to be amazed at the rescue effort that occurred that day.
“Those selfless American people going towards the building to help others survive,” he said. “These weren’t military personnel.”
A total of 125 people lost their lives at the Pentagon as a result of the attack. For Schneck, they are not simply names -- they were friends and colleagues.
“To this day, 20 years later, a day doesn’t go by where I don’t think of them.”
To honor those whose lives were lost, PenFed has partnered with the Women’s Military Memorial to host the Remembrance Realy, a 177-mile walk from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines flight 93 was brought down on 9/11 to the memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
The walk commemorates the 177 American service women who have died in combat zones since 9/11
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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