Museum to open 9-11 exhibit in Austin Published Aug. 16, 2011 By Retired Master Sgt. Gregory Ripps 149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs CAMP MABRY, Texas -- The Texas Military Forces Museum will observe the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack with the grand opening of an exhibit recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of the Texas National Guard. The exhibit, properly titled "9-11 and Beyond: The Texas National Guard in the War on Terror," will open Sept. 10 at the Texas Military Forces Museum, on Camp Mabry, in Austin, Texas. An F-16 aircraft exhibit opens at 9 a.m. to precede the 11 a.m. ceremony followed by the gallery opening at noon. During the past 10 years, more than 23,000 men and women from the Texas Army and Air National Guard have deployed to the battlefronts of Iraq or Afghanistan - many of them more than once. This new exhibit will highlight the significant role they played in the War on Terror. The Texas Military Forces Historical Foundation still invites financial assistance to ensure this ambitious exhibit become, in the words of Jeff Hunt, museum director, "a worthy testament to the accomplishment of our troops ... as well as an effective educational tool." Anyone interested in contributing may visit the museum website at www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org. Camp Mabry is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of the Missouri-Pacific (MOPAC) Expressway and 35th Street in Austin. For more information, call (512) 782-5395.