Watada joined the Army after the war in Iraq had begun , stating that he was motivated " out of a desire to protect our country " after the September 11 attacks . He was commissioned by the Army 's Officer Candidate School , on November 20 , 2003 , at Fort Benning , Georgia , as a second lieutenant of field artillery — one month after Security Council Resolution 1511 authorized a multinational force in Iraq . Watada served one year in South Korea , and was subsequently reassigned to Fort Lewis , Washington
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Ehren Watada