Tragedy at Fort Hood

As an Army veteran's wife who has dealt with my husband's deployments to Iraq and Macedonia, the anxiety I felt when my husband was overseas was heart wrenching. I was always concerned for his safety and well-being, and I couldn't seem to watch the news or get updates from his unit nearly enough. When he was finally home safe and sound, I felt the anxiety leave my body-the fears, terrible thoughts, and scenarios that I had thought about were all gone. He was home.

This is why it saddens me so much to hear about the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, that happened on November 5^th, 2009. These soldiers were simply doing as they were ordered to do, following though with medical preparations to deploy overseas, or even beginning to take the final steps necessary to go home to their families after recent deployments. Some were even attending graduation at the time, along with friends and family. Little did they know that was once considered a safe zone, their home base, could be under attack.

Yahoo News reported that the officer who opened fire was Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. The shooting began at around 1:30pm, and there are twelve people dead, with thirty-one people wounded. The casualties all occurred at the Soldier Readiness Center. The shooter had only two handguns as he carried out this terrible act, and he was eventually killed after opening fire. Two other soldiers are currently being held at this time as well.

There is no motive established for this attack, as is it too soon to tell. It is disheartening to learn that Hasan is also believed to be a mental health professional, either an Army psychologist or psychiatrist, also according to Yahoo News. This will likely make the motive that much more difficult to discover, and will continue to leave the families of those wounded or killed with questions that may never be fully answered.

This event also further goes to show that caregivers need care too, as Maj. Hasan worked with soldiers who were ready to deploy or who were coming home from a deployment. Both are very crucial times that soldiers and their families face, and Hasan was preparing himself for deployment as well. The pressures of preparing for a deployment or even coming home and readjusting to normal family life are truly difficult, and the mental health of all involved needs to be carefully dealt with.

As Veteran's Day approaches, we must ensure that those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their loved ones, their country, and freedoms in the United States and the world are both sheltered and as protected as possible. As the news of this terrible tragedy continues to pour in with eye-witness accounts, interviews with friends and family of the shooter, and new discoveries, it is important that we honor our military members, as they face dangers both overseas, and even within their own home bases.

Source:

Page Title- Army officer opens fire at Fort Hood, killing 12

Site Title - Yahoo News