One New York business person has turned a September 11th experience and combat time in the Middle East into a career helping veterans. WAER’s Chris Bolt reports on Mat Tully’s journey since the terrorist attacks.
The morning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 Mat Tully found himself in the World Trade Center Tower Two building. He remembers the first plane crashing…but didn’t know what it would turn into.
“Right as I was hitting the top of the subway, that was when the second building was hit. I remember distinctly thinking at that time that there’s an air traffic controller going to be in a lot of trouble; this is a pretty bad thing.”
He actually got out, only to find his fiancé was heading into the World Trade Center. Some anxious hours followed until they connected and were o-k. Tully began then as a national guardsmen what turned into more than 10 years of military service. He’s fought in Iraq and Afghanistan…but connects only part to the attacks.
“I was not a fan of the Bush doctrine that allowed for the invasion of Iraq. So when I actually deployed in 2005 to Iraq it created a bit of a media storm because I was a vocal opponent of the war. Afghanistan was a slightly different story. I think that was a justifiable war. I think it’s been unnecessarily prolonged because of our diversion to Iraq. But Afghanistan, definitely there was a 9/11 perspective going to Afghanistan.”
Tully notes most Americans connect the wars and their missions…which he does not. He survived a suicide attack in Afghanistan earning a purple heart and bronze start.
After getting out of the military, Tully has grown the Tully Rinkey law firm with roots to his service and back to 9/11.
“The core root of our business has been military members and federal employees who previously served in the military. Our bread and butter that allowed us to expand into Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and ultimately to California is because of service members that went away, served their country, came back and had employment issues.”
Tully will spend this September 11th remembering victims, speaking at a memorial, then gathering with family.
