Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on our nation, much has changed, including a renewed interest in and respect for our fellow citizens who serve in our armed forces. Great Neck can be especially proud of the Blaha family, where Christopher Blaha has just followed in his brother Jack's footsteps, with service as an Army Ranger.

Lieutenant Christopher Blaha, 24 years old, a graduate of St. Mary's High School and Hofstra University, just recently graduated from Army Ranger training school at Fort Benning, Georgia. After graduation he will report to the 10th Mountain Division, located at Fort Drum, New York. Lieutenant Blaha's brother Captain Jack Blaha, also an Army Ranger, has completed his active military service and is now serving in the Army Reserves.

Service as an Army Ranger is on a volunteer basis, and the soldier must pass an extremely rigorous training program. Emphasis is placed on the development of individual leadership skills and practical experience is provided in environments such as wooded areas, mountainous areas, and jungle/swamp environments. Practice operations include dismounted infantry, airborne, airmobile, amphibious, and independent squad and platoon-sized operations. ''Fatigue, hunger, the necessity for quick, sound decisions, and the requirement for demonstrating calm forceful leadership under conditions of mental and emotional stress are all contained in the Ranger Course.''

Ranger information states: ''The soldier who has experienced combat knows the value of tough, realistic training. He knows he must be able to successfully accomplish any mission which his unit has been organized, equipped, and trained to perform, in the shortest possible time, with the least expenditure of resources, to maintain a combat effective unit. Ranger Training Brigade Courses provide tough, realistic training with a minimum of formal classroom instruction.''

The Ranger Course develops the ''combat arms related functional skills of officers and enlisted men who are eligible for assignment to units whose primary mission is to engage in the close combat direct fire battle.'' The training course is 61 days, with an average of 19 hours of training each day, seven days a week.

The first phase of training is the Benning Phase, at Camp Rogers and Camp Darby at Fort Benning in Georgia. The Mountain Phase is conducted at Camp Frank D. Merrill, also in Georgia. The third phase, the Florida Phase, is conducted at Camp James E. Rudder, at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

''Rangers lead the way!'' reads the last line in the ''Ranger Creed.'' Great Neck is proud that our own Chris Blaha is one of those revered leaders.