Retired Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Chad Hennings is like most Americans. His emotions run the gamut from compassion to rage and from doubt to anger.

Unlike most American athletes, Hennings had a military background. In 1991, he piloted bombing runs in the Gulf War. The next year, he wore the Cowboys uniform as he started an impressive nine-year NFL career.

"My Christian side wants fairness for our enemies, but I also would like to seek retribution," Hennings said. "Finally, I've come to my senses. Our nation has been forever changed by this. How we view our foreign relationships will be different. Drastic changes will come. The way we handle terrorists may be less diplomatic and more proactive."

	Hennings

Tuesday's terrorist attacks had major impacts on athletes with military backgrounds. Were he still active in the Air Force, Hennings might have been asked to be part of the country's retribution for any country that harbored terrorists responsible for the attacks.

NFL players such as Denver Broncos running back Mike Anderson, a former Marine, and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Bryce Fisher, who was in the Air Force, spent a lot of time on phones to check on friends.

"I have friends and former classmates who work in the Pentagon," Hennings said. "I could be in the Pentagon, too, if I were still in the military. People the players knew are going to be facing a lot of things during these hours."

But in some ways, the military taught Hennings and those players how to deal with tragedies such as those on Tuesday. It teaches them to do their job despite the distractions, which is why Hennings believes the Andersons, Fishers and others know how to respond to this crisis.

"The military teaches you to put everything aside and accomplish your job," Hennings said. "The mission for the players right now is to be a professional athlete and sports. I've talked to soldiers who have been in Vietnam and Korea and they told me they made prayers that ended with, 'Let me complete my mission. It doesn't matter what happens to me.' That's so profound."

That was Hennings' stance when he flew his bomber runs into Northern Iraq: Let him complete his mission. But Hennings admits that the mission would be different if he were recruited into exacting retribution against terrorists.

"Our job was to fly out of England and go into Northern Iraq and I was trained to fight a foe you can see," Hennings said. "All the rules of engagement are changed. We are going to fight a foe that's invisible. There was an excitement back then. You are doing what you are trained to do and you are getting in the game. Wanting to seek retribution is going to be different."

	“	Our job was to fly out of England and go into Northern Iraq and I was trained to fight a foe you can see. All the rules of engagement are changed. We are going to fight a foe that's invisible. ... Wanting to seek retribution is going to be different. ”
		— Chad Hennings, ex-Cowboys defensive tackle and Gulf War veteran

Hennings sees the United States being more aggressive in punishing terrorists because Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center towers involved so many civilians.

"Civilians didn't sign up for this. They didn't sign up for the military," Hennings said. "People in the Pentagon knew when they signed up that there is a risk. These terrorists broke every rule."

Which is why Hennings sees the United States altering some of the freedoms that individuals have been granted during the years.

"We, as a nation, have been scarred by this, and we are going to want more security," Hennings said. "We may have to give up some of our freedoms. The second and fourth amendments are going to be affected. Search and seizure are going to be affected. The right to bear arms could be affected. How much latitude are we going to give the government and still be a diplomatic and free country. But we've got to be willing to give some of our freedoms for our security."

Hennings also foresees changes in air travel and public places in which large crowds are assembled.

"Anybody who doesn't have a fear of flying, well, they have one now," he said. "How are you going to guarantee security in large venues for players as well as fans? People may want to avoid crowded areas. I just keep going back to the fact that this has changed the American way of life."

Like most Americans, Hennings is glued to his television set. His mind flashed back to his days as a Cowboy in 1993 when there was a terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City.

"Several of the veterans including myself went to Oklahoma City to support the rescue effort," Hennings said. "It struck home when we were there and we saw the carnage. It was tough for everybody. I'm sure for those players in New York it's going to be difficult to get back to work. But these players are professionals. They are used to distractions."

So, should the NFL play this weekend?

"There are two schools of thought," Hennings said. "You have guys play to give the country something else to look at. But the country also needs time to grieve. Personally, I think the NFL should not play. The country needs time to grieve. For that reason, I think it's just too soon."

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.