Giving Back – An American’s Call to Service

Francis Scott Key Middle School is situated just ten miles from the US Pentagon in Springfield, Virginia. On the morning of September 11, 2001, 8th grader Naveed Shah was sitting at his desk in Key Middle, preparing for his math class. As the teacher moved through the lesson, news about the attacks on the World Trade Center filtered in; shortly after Naveed ‘s teacher turned on the television, American Airlines Flight 77 struck the side of the Pentagon.

Being situated so close to the Pentagon, there were several classmates with parents working there, including the student sitting next to Naveed. As news of the attacks unfolded, Naveed and many of his fellow students were afraid – they understood that these were direct attacks on the United States -- but for Naveed there was an added dimension.

He and his family were Muslim immigrants, part of a diverse community that he likens to the United Nations. Knowing that the 19 terrorists who deliberately hijacked and crashed the four aircraft were also Muslims, Naveed describes feeling the attacks on a deeply personal level. “It wasn’t just an attack on our country, for me it was personal because they also had perverted my religion to justify that attack, so I felt like I had been attacked twice...as soon as I was old enough, I knew that I wanted to go serve my country.” Over time, Naveed’s initial response of fear transformed into a call to service rooted in his desire to give back to his adopted country.

Though he and his family experienced some of the rising post-9/11 Islamophobia, Naveed was undeterred, beginning his journey of service in high school by participating in student government. Once he graduated, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving four years on active duty, including a year-long deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After his military service, Shah broadened his scope, earning an undergraduate degree in Political Science and volunteering for veterans' groups, where he assisted others who had served in the military make the often-difficult transition from active duty to civilian life. In acknowledgment of his dedication to veterans' issues, then-First Lady Michelle Obama invited Shah to attend President Barack Obama’s final State of The Union Address in 2016. Shah currently serves as the Political Director for Common Defense; a grassroots organization of United States military veterans whose mission is to build political engagement and advocacy for veterans across the country.

This September, participants around the world can see Naveed Shah share his story, in his own words, as a part of the 2025 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience program. Register for this free program today.

By Seth Morgan, Education Specialist