Hartland Area Reaction to Bin Laden's Death — 3 Voices

Hartland High School teacher Paul Scheidler, who's served in Iraq, missed Sunday night's historic announcement that on Sunday the United States had killed 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

But it didn't take long for a neighbor who is in the Air National Guard to wake him up with the news and for him to witness some celebration in his Wixom neighborhood.

"There were some people in my sub firing rounds in the air," said Scheidler, who still serves as a Lt. colonel in the Army reverses. "It was like Iraq."

Scheidler, who teaches history, said he thought he'd make Monday a "teachable moment," so he brought in a newspaper with the story as a starting point. But, he added, it didn't take much prodding because his students wanted to discuss the news.

He said the students asked about the possibility of retaliatory attacks and what impact would the announcement have on fuel prices or the economy. He said he tried to provide a wide perspective of the event.

For instance, it's important to realize the the country may not yet know the full implications of having any documents or information from other prisoners taken during the attack on the compound in Pakistan, he said. He also reminded them that al-Qaida attacks already occur frequently, noting the Christmas underwear bomber who attempted to bring down a plane near Detroit in 2009 and the failed attempt to blow up a vehicle in Times Square in 2010.

Scheidler, who currently has friends serving in Afghanistan, also said the news is a boost.

"It's awesome for morale," he said. "It's a tangible psychological win for our side."

Still, he said the work for military personnel is a grind and difficult and that won't change anytime soon.

"My thoughts are still over there with the people serving there right now," he said.

Mom whose son has served in the military since 2001 remains concerned

Kathleen Horning's son David currently serves as a helicopter pilot and has been to Afghanistan twice and currently stationed in Georgia. Horning, who is the Hartland Township treasurer, said while the news is good for the country, she's still worried about future.

"In my heart, I thought those people in 9/11 are getting a little bit of closure," she said. "Then the next wave that went through my mind is all those troops who are over there. What's going to happen in the Middle East? I just wonder what are the impacts globally.

"Some of these young rebels don't know anything else and we have homegrown terrorists now we didn't have a decade ago," Horning said. "It may shift, but I don't think it's over."

Local congressman says death brings justice

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican whose 8th District includes the Hartland area, issued a statement Monday that complimented the country's military and intelligence agencies.

"This is a day we have all been waiting for, for far too long," said Rogers, who as chairman of the Intelligence Committee oversees the intelligence community, including operations and budgetary oversight. "We have brought to justice a terrorist with the blood of thousands of Americans on his hands, and brought justice to the families of his victims."

Rogers, who is a former FBI agent, was a member of the first official Congressional delegation to Iraq following major combat operations. He has made more than a dozen trips to the Middle East, dating back to just weeks before 9/11, where he has met with U.S. troops and world leaders, and taken part in fact-finding missions.

His expertise was sought during development of the USA PATRIOT Act, which gives law enforcement the tools necessary for tracking terrorists with today’s technology. According to Mike Rogers, the fight against terrorism will continue despite bin Laden's death.

"This closes a key chapter in the war on terror – it’s hard to imagine an end to al-Qaida without the death of bin Laden," Rogers said in his statement. "While we can all certainly celebrate this important victory, the fight will go on. We will not stop until al-Qaida has been eliminated."