Pete Nictori, 29, of Shelby Township and his best friend were in the first week of Navy Basic Training when they watched the Twin Towers in New York collapse on TV. “When I joined, nothing was going on. Within 30 minutes of the Twin Towers falling, my family started calling. They were crying and scared for me,” said Nictori. A few months later, a 19-year-old Nictori and his best friend from Macomb County, who was stationed on the same boat, were shipped out to Afghanistan to help in Operation Enduring Freedom. Nictori spent eight years in the Navy in total, and is thinking of joining the Active Reserves to further the Navy’s mission. Since returning home, Nictori has become very active in the Veteran of Foreign Wars in Shelby Township and is trying to help the post reach out to younger veterans. In reflecting on his joining the Navy and serving in a war after 9/11, Nictori said he has become more motivated to be stronger leader. “It made me want to talk to younger kids and influence them positively.”