As of October 20, 2022, 70 of 70 Fort Hood Independent Review Committee recommendations have been addressed by the U.S. Army's People First Task Force. Rodriguez disputes this claim. "I guess my point is," Rodriguez told me, "if everything was 'fine,' the way Fort Hood officials would lead us to believe, then why would this soldier, out of character, leave base without permission, and [why] did he not feel comfortable enough to call his captain or anyone on that base once he was arrested for speeding? "You can find Osama bin Laden, but you can't find a soldier that went missing on your own base?" The military is necessarily an institution of state-sanctioned violence, where we teach our young to kill on our behalf in the name of ideologies such as patriotism or democracy. (Fort Hood does not count Moore in its official casualty list, as he was a member of the National Guard.). Garrison Policies and Regulations. What happened on that base and in the Army to cause this person who is normally very [kind] and responsive to all of a sudden leave and shut down? He refused to send a selfie or get on a video chat and began using a strange and unfamiliar speech pattern. So when, the following spring, Fort Hood offered a $15,000 reward for information about Guillen, then raised it to $25,000 in June, Kim called to demand the same. "As soon as I get out of the hospital, I will call you. Why was Robinson not put under watch? Highway renamed & dedicated to late Fort Hood soldier . On June 30, a construction crew found shallow graves containing human remains that belonged to Guillen. On the night of August 19, Wedel-Morales went out to Club Fuego, located in a desolate strip mall about 10 miles east of Fort Hood. That is the opposite of what hes been consistently saying.. Guillen's superior confirmed she was missing. Red White and Blue via The US Army is licensed with CC BY-ND 2.0. The area, east of Killeen, was built on 109,000 acres of high bluffs, ridges, sharp slopes, and mesa-like hills covered with mesquite and chaparral. Fort Hood was founded in January 1942 as a training ground for tank destroyers, selected for its varied terrain. A few days later, so did 21-year-old Specialist Trey Ring. But with each encounter, it was becoming clear that the military had not failed its soldiers at all. Two days after Staff Sergeant Anthony Lovell, 40, disappeared in 2017, his body was found, eyes pecked clean, face split in half, in a creek off Killeens seedy main corridor called Rancier, the same street where Specialist Freddy Delacruz, 23, was shot and killed last March. Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims' families. Memorial that now stands at the site Vanessa Guillen's remains were found in Killen, Texas. ", "I'm 21 now, and let me tell you. The base was named after John Bell Hood, a Confederate general from a family that enslaved people in Kentucky, who made his name by breaking a Union line at Elthams Landing in Virginia and who, by todays standards, likely suffered from PTSD. She filled out the paperwork that is the lifeblood of the Army before heading toward the arms room, a few paces away. Guillen confessed that she was being harassed by another soldier. He had also gotten married without telling his family, been evicted from his apartment, and stopped showing up to work. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. Casteel had told Rodriguez he was getting away from the abuse.. By Marlene Lenthang October 13, 2021, 9:15 AM 2:25 On Location: February 24, 2023 Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. After 8 p.m., Guillen's sister Mayra called the base. (Killeen Police stated they have no knowledge of anyone declining to investigate.) The Armys own investigation found major flaws at Fort Hood, leading to the firing or suspending of 14 officials. But at Fort Hood, it sometimes seemed like "mission first, equipment second," he said, highlighting the paradox of the military that in word puts the well-being of soldiers first but in deed must, by design, favor combat readiness over all else. Toxic leadership is nothing new. fort hood training calendar 2023 Ozempic (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injection that is FDA approved for use by adults with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. Dont they care as to what happened to Elder Fernandes? The coming months brought the suicides of Staff Sergeant Richard Harrington, 45, and then Specialist James Green, 23. Barely a week later, Private Corlton Chee, 25, died during training. Four days later, an anonymous tip directed investigators to an urban prairie at the end of a residential street where Penny Morales used to live. Reformers would say that the military had failed its men and women. Casteel had been stationed at Fort Hood since the end of June, where he'd been bullied for a spinal injury that consigned him to desk duties. By then Wedel-Morales had grown distant from his family in Oklahoma, who had not been told of the marriage. The police too told Ailina that Fernandes was an adult and that they would not report him as missing. Schuette's body was returned to his family "wrapped like a mummy." Had one of them stood in for Guillen during roll call? Soon after, the Temple police, who led the investigation, ruled Fernandes's death a suicide. The corpse had been dead for a while, though it was impossible to determine exactly how long. Who were the soldiers who had testified to seeing Guillen leave the arms room the day she disappeared? On April 29, it was Private Joshua Barnwell, 19. All rights reserved. Barely a week later, Private Corlton Chee, 25, died during training. That American imperialism is imploding, and the blast force radiates inward. Terrie Boley, whose daughter Candance became addicted to crack cocaine while serving at Fort Hood and was murdered in a motel room in 2011, told me not to drink the water. I will tell you everything, he told his mother. Boots and hat at Vanessa Guillens memorial, Killeen TX, Jeffrey Epsteins Decades-Long Relationship. The small Texas frontier town was also a "hotbed of Klan activity," according to Texas historian Gene Preuss of the University of Houston, so much so that when trains stopped in Killeen, Black passengersrelegated to "colored cars"knew to pull down their window shades to avoid a pelting with rocks by locals. The corpse had been dead for a while, though it was impossible to determine exactly how long. She has become that complicated, indelible thing: a hero. Its possible. In 2009, Nidal Hasan was an Army major when he killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. . Sergeant Brad Reynolds, 37, killed himself on May 16. Nearly 200 miles away in Houston, Rogelio Guillen was entering his fourth hour of work at a nickel-plating factory when he felt a sharp spasm in his chest. In fact, Casteel had been convinced that CIA agents were attacking him since last June. As many as 28 Fort Hood soldiers died in 2020, including in multiple homicides, suicides and other accidents. What is behind the violence and tragedy at Fort Hood? The vast emptiness that is most of the state can make you feel inconsequential, as if you could disappear and no one would know you ever lived. They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. Fernandes had just been stationed at Fort Hood in January. On March 5, 2020, Destanie Sawyers five-year-old daughter found her father, Specialist Christopher Sawyer, 29, after he had shot himself dead in the bedroom of their Fort Hood housing. Two witnesses had seen Robinson roll a black cargo box out of the arms room and through the parking lot, where he loaded it into his car and drove away, contradicting an earlier affidavit from three soldiers who falsely claimed they had seen Guillen departing the arms room earlier. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 12 Fort Hood soldiers who have vanished, died, or, in one case, turned up dead after going missing last year. Hazel Buck Blackwell, whose family lost their farm, homestead, barns, orchards, and adjoining land when the base took over, said the "closest thing might be the unexpected death of someone you loved very much." (Fort Hood does not count Moore in its official casualty list, as he was a member of the National Guard.). (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) In 1941, Private Felix Hall was lynched by fellow soldiers, at Fort Benning, Georgia. His mother, Kim, only heard from her son when he needed money. On May 18, Brandon Rosecrans's burning Jeep was discovered in a hilly suburb east of Fort Hood. It was also an ancient Comanche Native American burial ground, discovered when construction workers unearthed more than 2,200 grave sites in 1998. Back in Houston, Gloria recalled a conversation with her daughter not long before, when Guillen had been home for the weekend. At first blush, such violence at a base that calls itself the Great Place may seem extraordinary, inexplicable even. Around the Guillen murals in Killeen and in Houston, I met people who had lost loved ones to the military, who felt harm done, who saw in Guillen a savior. The purported motto of the Army was "family first, mission second," Gary Shafer, a noncommissioned officer who served at Fort Hood from 2012 to 2018 and who knew Wedel-Morales through the car-club scene, told me. They are part of Killeens population of 151,000, many transient and very young, two thirds of whom have military ties. Since being stationed at Fort Hood in November 2016, Wedel-Morales had frequented the Dollhouse, a strip club not far from where his remains would eventually be found. Chee, like Yazzie, was a member of the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation community, and was new to the base. 20, 2021 FORT HOOD, Texas The death of Spc. Why hadn't the arms room been treated like the crime scene it was? He refused to send a selfie or get on a video chat and began using a strange and unfamiliar speech pattern. July 2, 2022 (86 years old) View obituary Chong Thigpen November 12, 2021 (66 years old) View obituary Jaylen Tristian Bush April 3, 2021 View obituary Cecil Earl Garrison February 21, 2021 (87 years old) View obituary Daniel John Hunt January 29, 2021 (79 years old) View obituary Aage John Hoffman January 26, 2021 (86 years old) View obituary The soldiers said that Guillen's belongings had been found in the arms room, but otherwise she had left no trace. The new family, like more than 70 percent of all Fort Hood service members, lived off post, but after two dead bodies were found on their street, they moved into base housing. It rained that night, and the drive, which should have taken three hours, was slow going. By then, the Army, it seemed, had stopped providing Wedel-Morales with a sense of purpose, and he had turned to alternate sources of meaning, namely car and motorcycle clubs, and life beyond the base. Most of the groups were aboveboard, even as they were ruled by certain strictures for meeting attendance, dress code, and how to appropriately signal respect. FORT HOOD, Texas - Fort Hood officials say they do not suspect foul play in the death of 26-year-old SPC Maxwell Hockin. The Army's own investigation found "major flaws" at Fort Hood, leading to the firing or suspending of 14 officials. At first, Aguilar told investigators, they cut her up using a machete. The day after Guillen disappeared, Private Gavin Chambers, 21, died on base. They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. Also that year, Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach was raped by her superior, which she reported. There had been a few people, then it was a group run of 11. Specialist Justen Ogden's death in July 2017 was ruled a suicide, but the suicide note Fort Hood produced as evidence did not match his handwriting, according to his mother, Toni. You can find Osama bin Laden, but you cant find a soldier that went missing on your own base? Guillens youngest sister, Lupe, says. By then Wedel-Morales had grown distant from his family in Oklahoma, who had not been told of the marriage. Fort Bragg; which has nearly double the soldier population as Fort Hood, is reporting 24 deaths so far this year, with five of them happening in accidents, one homicide, seven from illness,. Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, . It was a "heartrending, searing experience," central Texas historian Gra'Delle Duncan said, "leaving lifetime marks on all, and actually killing some" from the psychic devastation that followed. Fort Hood is now the largest active-duty armored post comprised of nearly 400,000 soldiers, civilian employees, families, and retirees in the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metro area. The base saw 26 . Here are some of the tragic deaths that have plagued the base in recent months: Pvt. Fertility Rate. SHARE. The coming months brought the suicides of Staff Sergeant Richard Harrington, 45, and then Specialist James Green, 23. If he killed himself, dont they want to know why?. The military, Rodriguez said, had known about this but had refused to treat him. (Marine Lance Corporal Riley Schultz's death on March 15, 2019, at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, was also ruled a suicide, despite his hyoid being broken. In 2007, also in Iraq, Specialist Kamisha Block's death was ruled an accident by a single shot of friendly fire before the family received the body and saw that she had five gunshot wounds, including one to the head. (Fort Hood refused all official interview requests for this story, citing ongoing investigations. Within days of arriving at Fort Hood, Chee's clothes were stolen. Ive lost brothers and sisters in arms, a marriage, Ive lost family, Ive lost friendships that were supposed to be forever. In 2018, a soldier was allegedly shot and killed in her front yard by her husband at Fort Campbell, in Kentucky, which also has one of the highest rates of suicide in the Army. A U.S. Army soldier, Spc. There was a deep cut above his left eye, and cuts all over his legs. They checked into a nearby hotel and returned at 8 a.m. the next day. WASHINGTON (AP) The Army said Friday that it has taken disciplinary action against 21 officers and non-commissioned officers at Fort Hood, Texas, in connection with death last year of Spc. I asked him directly if he wasnt willing to speak because of position and he signaled yes, and he said, Id rather tell you in person. , Several days later, Rodriguez learned that Casteel had been committed to a hospital on base. After 10 torturous weeks and growing. (Fort Hood) A soldier in the 1st Cavalry Division was found dead Saturday in his company area, according to a statement from. Texas as of 9 July 2021; some devices had already been sold and shipped. Had anyone helped Robinson clean up Guillen's murder in those 40 minutes? His wife, Christal, was denied her husbands mobile phone, the final investigation report, and even his corpse, until Texas Congressman Ron Wright stepped in on that front. Ad Choices. Ever since returning from a deployment to Iraq in February 2019shipped off two months after basic training for a nine-month tourRing had become withdrawn, developed a drinking problem, and had been arrested for drunk driving. His mother, Kim, only heard from her son when he needed money. At the Dollhouse, he got to know Penny Morales, a dancer and mother of two. ), Wedel-Moraless death was not the first from the base that may have involved bike gangs. He ultimately murdered her when she was eight months pregnant, then set her on fire before fleeing to Mexico. On May 11, however, Fernandes reported to Fort Hood "abusive sexual contact" from a staff sergeant, whom he alleged groped him in a supply room, according to the redacted military investigation report. March 1, 2023 (94 years old) View obituary. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. Sgt. Maxwell Hockin. Last December, a Special Forces soldier and an Army veteran were found dead at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where another soldier disappeared in May and was later found murdered. Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now. Amarillo - see the Potter County section below Arlington - see the Tarrant County section below (There was also literal toxicity on base in that some of the mold-infested barracks where soldiers lived were "technically condemned," according to Maureen Elliott, a military spouse and a housing advocate.). Guillen's youngest sister, Lupe, made me promise to stay at the Marriott, a hotel she considered safer than the rest. In death, she is no longer a daughter or a sister or a partner. But when Kim called the police, they dismissed her, telling Kim that her son probably just "took off." Wedel-Morales was thrilled to become a father. Green Beret training death special forces training soldier dies in training army training . Washington CNN The Army announced Tuesday that 14 senior officers will be punished following a probe that was initiated after the murder of a soldier and several other deaths at the Army's. It installed 35 firing ranges, 18 chapels, three bowling alleys, and 1,384 barracks that would house, at its peak, 95,000 soldiers, the most densely populated military base, at a cost of $35 million. All are former soldiers. All this has been true since the founding of the American military, but a sense of disorientation has increased in recent years, as wars that were never good to begin with began to lose moral shine. On April 30, 2021, Fort Hood found that Guillen had indeed been sexually harassed by a soldier, but not Robinson.). Despite 10,000 hours of investigation and 300 interviews, much about Guillens death remained a mystery. -. Guillens youngest sister, Lupe, made me promise to stay at the Marriott, a hotel she considered safer than the rest. After the public remonstrations began, Fort Hood launched something it called Operation Phantom Action, a weeklong retreat of sorts that was meant to rebuild trust between soldiers and the leadership. A small minority, which bikers call one percent groups, and which the Department of Justice calls by the regrettable acronym OMG, or outlaw motorcycle gangs, were the people Wedel-Morales had been hanging around with. Jef Rouner. Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home 1615 South Fort Hood Road, Killeen (254) 634-2638 . Not long after Fort Hood opened, soldiers began bringing home souvenirs in the form of war brides. His body was found nearly a month later, two miles from the barracks. Remains of soldiers have been turning up around the Texas military base with terrifying frequency. Hazel Buck Blackwell, whose family lost their farm, homestead, barns, orchards, and adjoining land when the base took over, said the closest thing might be the unexpected death of someone you loved very much. It was a heartrending, searing experience, central Texas historian GraDelle Duncan said, leaving lifetime marks on all, and actually killing some from the psychic devastation that followed. The circumstances are so strange and awful that fully understanding the events can be difficult. I felt a bad vibe there, Lupe says, referring to Fort Hood. ), Wedel-Morales's death was not the first from the base that may have involved bike gangs. That morning, Guillen had left her third-floor barracks and headed downstairs to her work station at the motor pool, a vast garage for military vehicles. He also wanted an education, and joining the Army he knew he could take care of all of that, his sister Carma Johnson says. In a press statement, Fort Hood officials said Hockin, 26, was initially found unresponsive outside of the barracks and was subsequently pronounced dead. The base was named after John Bell Hood, a Confederate general from a family that enslaved people in Kentucky, who made his name by breaking a Union line at Eltham's Landing in Virginia and who, by today's standards, likely suffered from PTSD. As distressing as the remains in shallow graves or the missing hyoid bone is the fatalism from soldiers and locals alike. A few hours later, Robinson, who had mostly been playing video games, escaped Fort Hood by car. The ancient Greeks wrote epic poems on the subject, the most famous of which is the Iliad. There were no Black residents in town until the early 1950s. Even then, it was she who had to scare up the $3,500 in bail money, and after Fort Hood sent two officers to pick up Casteel, officials refused to share information with Rodriguez. Sewell is the latest soldier to disappear from the base after a series of soldiers disappeared in the past few years. Beyond the base, gas station attendants and restaurant servers, many of whom were veterans or had ties to the military, all seemed resigned to certain fates. Not long after Fort Hood opened, soldiers began bringing home souvenirs in the form of war brides. Soon after, the Temple police, who led the investigation, ruled Fernandess death a suicide. On most nights, I had nightmares. None of the grunts I spoke to was surprised by the number of casualties. These figures eclipse American casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq in the same year. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. From here, wars are launched. Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims families. "I asked him directly if he wasn't willing to speak because of position and he signaled yes, and he said, 'l'd rather tell you in person.' The death was ruled a suicide despite the fact that the blanket stuffed around the window to hold the pipe in place had been doused in Schuette's own blood, and Schuette was found with nine stab wounds across his body, including his forearm and his left hand. Women, who make up 17 percent of active-duty military, were doubly bereft, and the case files were awash with stories of the dead. She pleaded not guilty. At 9:30 p.m., Mayra, Cruz, Guillens other sister Yovana, and Yovanas boyfriend set out for Fort Hood. In other battles, having lost the use of his arm and later a leg, Hood had to be strapped to a horse for combat. Ive even lost myself. (Ring returned to base of his own accord later that day.). The base might have continued to devour its soldiers had it not been for a missing soldier's family whose rage, love, and devotion would attract the attention of the media, celebrities, and later the White House, sparking congressional and military investigations. He seemed weird, Rodriguez said. Call (254) 287-9993 or (254) 287-0106 to request a PAO escort. Courtesy | Margie Taylor Spc.. Alvis Franklin Bentley. Linda Schweers, whose specialist son, Justin, died in a car crash in June while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, wanted me to "be careful of cartels," which she said ran the area. Vanessa Guillen. "What on earth are you training for?" Amid all those other deaths, on June 21, 2020, a search party found the charred lid of a cargo box along the Leon River 20 miles east of Fort Hood. And so his disappearance was no surprise, his father told me. The 2020 numbers add to ongoing mysteries, including a 2016 case . Five were murdered. A soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, was found dead over the weekend behind a barracks, according to local media reports, adding to the rash of deaths and disappearances of soldiers. Five were murdered. And yet: The data is not really out of the ordinary for U.S. military bases. Thirteen people were determined to have committed suicide. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. (The Boley case remains unsolved.) In 2018, a soldier was allegedly shot and killed in her front yard by her husband at Fort Campbell, in Kentucky, which also has one of the highest rates of suicide in the Army. On August 11, a higher-up called Fernandes's mother, Ailina, to tell her that her son had not shown up for work for two days. It's possible. Fort Hood has come under serious fire in recent years, as the incident follows the heartbreaking death of Vanessa Guilln. In January 2017, Fox News cited reports to say the Army and local police were probing deaths of 11 Fort Hood soldiers who died on and off the base in the months before under mysterious circumstances, as per reports. She had also missed her standing noon call with her fianc, Juan Cruz. The exact cause of Hockin's death remains unclear . Texas Death Records, 1890-1976 includes scanned copies of the death certificates Texas Death Records, 1977-1986 includes digitized copies of the death certificates; not yet complete. More than 2,200 trials over land rights commenced. That an overwhelming majority of the towns economy comes from Fort Hood makes Killeen a kind of rentier state, in that most of its revenue comes through a foreign entity, which historically has led to the collapse of domestic industries, leading to increased dependence on a single source of income. He was assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Military bases are the last piece of the homeland that soldiers see before they are deployed to fight and the first glimpse of home when they return. Fifty six . Robinson himself left soon thereafter, he would testify, to spend the night off post with his girlfriend. That gun safety is a distant concern in a community where the Second Amendment tops the Maslow charts. IMCOM is not responsible for the content of links outside home.army.mil. He ultimately murdered her when she was eight months pregnant, then set her on fire before fleeing to Mexico. A sergeant from Guillen's division called it "mandatory fun days." The plan, Wedel-Morales told anyone who would listen, was to use the G.I. So much of reporting is opening yourself up to chance, and there I was, compulsively locking and relocking the rental car door. Later Fort Hood confirmed it was for violating quarantine. It was unclear, in 2020, what American soldiers were fighting for. Fort Hood hurriedly put up a $25,000 reward for Wedel-Morales as well. Nov. 30, 2022. He told his sister there were three white soldiers who "did not like him." On most nights, I had nightmares. US Army Since then, Vanessa's family and their attorney Natalie Khawam have tried to shine a spotlight on a string of deaths at the central Texas installation. Radically transparent, low cost versions of high cost generic drugs. October 14, 2021 Ryan Morgan. But at Fort Hood, it sometimes seemed like mission first, equipment second, he said, highlighting the paradox of the military that in word puts the well-being of soldiers first but in deed must, by design, favor combat readiness over all else. The vast emptiness that is most of the state can make you feel inconsequential, as if you could disappear and no one would know you ever lived. But with each encounter, it was becoming clear that the military had not failed its soldiers at all. A few hours later, Robinson, who had mostly been playing video games, escaped Fort Hood by car. Ever since returning from a deployment to Iraq in February 2019shipped off two months after basic training for a nine-month tourRing had become withdrawn, developed a drinking problem, and had been arrested for drunk driving. The pursuit of happiness, or simply stability, will invariably lure people to the American military, which may be why the undocumented, the indigent, or those with a criminal record are overrepresented in its ranks. "He seemed weird," Rodriguez said. There, Wedel-Moraless remains had been found, long ago decomposed in the Texas heat. What happened on that base and in the Army to cause this person who is normally very [kind] and responsive to all of a sudden leave and shut down?, When I asked soldiers at Fort Hood what they thought was the matter on base, they mentioned toxic leadership, a catholic term that seemed to encompass all: lack of care, general command climate, and so-called toxic masculinity. Hoover, Alabama. That most soldiers enlist when they are still teenagers, their yet-unformed minds taught to kill. Specialist Vanessa Guillens father, Rogelio, wondered if I shouldnt carry a gun. That American imperialism is imploding, and the blast force radiates inward. (Among 1.29 million members of the U.S. military, 65,000 are immigrants, according to The Washington Post.) He had then driven the body to the Leon River and had come back to pick Aguilar up from the gas station where she worked on Veterans Memorial Boulevard, five miles east of Fort Hood.
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