Two Uniforms, One Mission: Inspired by 9/11 First Responders, NCNG Soldier protects her community.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, forever changed the course of American history. For many, the images of first responders rushing towards danger became symbols of courage, sacrifice and selfless service.

For U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hannah Tarkelly, those moments left a lasting impression at a young age and ultimately inspired her to dedicate her life serving others. Tarkelly is a 46S mass communication specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Joint Force Headquarters, North Carolina National Guard, and a patrol officer with the Chapel Hill Police Department.

“I knew I always wanted to be in a profession where I could help people,” Tarkelly said. “The question was: how?”

At 17 years old, Tarkelly enlisted with NCNG in November 2016; this decision gave her the opportunity to pursue higher education while providing stability for her family. She later graduated summa cum laude from Meredith College with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and sociology before completing Basic Law Enforcement Training as Valedictorian and the program’s fittest female graduate.

During her military career, Tarkelly deployed to Eastern Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, responded to numerous state emergencies, including Hurricane Dorian, the COVID-19 response, Hurricane Helene and civil unrest in Raleigh.

As a public affairs Soldier, she has documented many of the National Guard’s most meaningful missions. One memory continues to define why she serves.

While covering food distribution operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tarkelly photographed a guardsman carrying groceries to a family’s home. As the Soldier approached the front door, two young children ran outside with smiles across their faces to receive the food.

“I’ve photographed high-speed military operations overseas,” Tarkelly said. “But that photo captured the immediate impact the National Guard has in our communities, and it reminded me that service is about helping people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.”

That experience helped reinforce her decision to pursue law enforcement. She became a sworn Chapel Hill police officer in February 2024.

“When you call 911, I’m the one who shows up, and I take that responsibility very seriously,” Tarkelly said.

She has comforted victims of domestic violence, helped save lives and held people through moments of unimaginable grief. Those experiences, combined with her military service, have given her a unique perspective on what it means to serve.

For Tarkelly, Sept. 11 represents more than a date in history. It symbolizes the courage of first responders and service members who chose others before themselves, many making the ultimate sacrifice.

“Being a North Carolina Guardsman and a police officer aren’t just jobs on a résumé to me; they’re a calling and a purpose,” Tarkelly said. “Whether they were first responders or U.S. Service members, so many gave everything to protect their communities and our country.”

Twenty-five years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the image of firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and military members rushing toward danger continues to inspire Americans who choose lives of service.

For Tarkelly, that legacy is not confined to one anniversary each year. It lives on every time a Soldier answers a call for disaster relief, every time an officer responds to a 911 call, and every time someone chooses to put the needs of others before their own.

Whether carrying a camera, wearing camouflage, or patrolling the streets of Chapel Hill, Tarkelly hopes every act of service honors those whose courage forever changed what it means to answer the call. (U.S. Army National Guard Story by Sgt. Brittany Burton)

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