When Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Jacobs arrived at work on a cold morning in March, a swelling of pride came over him.
As he approached the entrance to the Lansing Army recruiting center, protesters blocked the doors, calling him a liar and a killer. For Jacobs, it was a simple reminder of why he has dedicated his life to the protection of his country.
The most vivid reminder comes today, five years after the worst terrorist attack in the history of the nation.
"That's why we do what we do," Jacobs said adamantly. "We fight for freedoms that we all partake in on a regular basis."
Jacobs, a 39-year-old West Virginia native, has served in the military for the greater part of his life. Starting his career shortly after high school, he served as a military police officer before becoming a recruiter. Although events like the protest at his office stand out, he said he knows most people appreciate his efforts.
"I will walk into a store in uniform, and I can count four or five times that people will come up to me, shake my hand and thank me for what I do," Jacobs said. "It feels real good.
"I get a lump in my throat and the hair on the back of my neck stands up."
As the country looks back on five years of a war on terror, asking if the government's decisions have been the right ones, Jacobs looks at five years of recruitment increase and finds his answer.
In 2001, prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Army recruited 49 soldiers in the Lansing area. One year later, 89 men and women signed contracts to serve for their country. Jacobs attributes the near doubling of recruits to the spike in patriotism people felt after the attacks.
"A lot of times when conflicts or wars happen, patriotism soars through the roof," said Jacobs, who has served in the military for 21 years. "A lot of folks want to find out how they can help. It angers them and makes them upset that we're being attacked.
"They want to come in and do what they can to serve their country. That's very admirable."
Last year, the Army missed its national recruiting goals for the first time since 2000. However, Jacobs has not seen a decrease in numbers in the Lansing area. With the month of September still left in the Army's fiscal year, Jacobs and his staff have already recruited 76 soldiers.
Much of the consistency in recruiting is because of above average patriotism in the Midwest, he said.
"Folks on the West Coast aren't quite as patriotic as they are here in the Midwest," said Jacobs. "You can tell a lot of people out here are very patriotic.
"I am constantly patriotic," Jacobs said, confidently. "Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion. It is the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."
