What many people saw as a comforting presence at eight of Missouri’s busiest airports is now gone. National Guardsmen came to Missouri’s airports in the days following the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Now, they have headed home. Lieutenant Colonel North Charles was in charge of all of the Guardsmen who were at the state’s airports, providing security until new federal workers could take over airport screening. Charles admits the mission took longer than first expected as it was supposed to wrap up at the end of March. And, he says it was a unique deployment because they were defending Americans on American soil. But, Charles says what the guard did was in the highest traditions of what they stand for.
