I have to say this because I’ve been seriously disturbed by the lack of chatter about this incident on Twitter. I’m referring to the shootings at Fort Hood Thursday night. Seriously, people, this is messed up beyond belief. The officer did not want to be deployed, so he decided to open gunfire in a center that was filled with FELLOW soldiers who were either also about to be deployed or, even worse, returning from deployment. Let me repeat that – he opened fire on fellow soldiers who had just successfully returned from deployment. !!!!
This is despicable behavior in my opinion. My husband served almost eight years in the U.S. Army, eight years we both really enjoyed in spite of the nearly constant time apart. He was fortunate enough to never experience the second Gulf War but he spent almost a year in Bosnia back when that was still a hot spot. As a family member, you live for the day when your soldier/officer returns home. The date on the calendar is sometimes the only thing that keeps you going when your child is sick, you are sick, the nearest relative is five hours away, and you just moved to the area and have no friends to call for help. Those family members in Texas were anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones and already rejoicing that they had made it home safely – all to have that joy taken away by the selfish acts of one person. There are not enough horrible words in the English language to describe my feels for that man.
Some people out there are going to say that this is proof positive that we need to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq because it is making our soldiers crazy. Yes, our military is stretched incredibly thin. Yes, our soldiers have seen and experienced things that no man or woman should really ever have to experience. However, we have to remember that these soldiers VOLUNTEERED. They are freely putting their lives in danger to protect our interests, our freedoms. No matter how you feel about the political machinations that are requiring them to be deployed to foreign soil, every soldier deserves the utmost respect and appreciation for their chosen role as our protectors.
The military does a very good job of stressing that it is one big family. Some of our closest friends today are those we met while we were serving. We may not see each other or talk to each other that often, but they will always be lifelong friends because of the fact that when we served together, we were family. We protected one another, looked out for one another, and supported one another in times of need. Those types of bonds last forever. Apparently, the Army major involved in yesterday’s shooting failed to learn those lessons or opted to ignore the lesson that military takes care of its own. To me, that is the biggest issue I have.
All families lament the idea of deployments. Very few soldiers truly want to go into combat. However, they do it out of a sense of duty and obligation to their country. If the major did not want to be deployed, he should have never joined the military in the first place. His actions were horribly selfish and just beyond words.
However, my heart goes out to the family members. To have experienced the anguish of being apart and the constant worry that accompanies a deployment to a combat zone to joy that they made it back to heartbreak at losing your loved one to such a senseless act – I cannot fathom what they are experiencing right now. If anything, we need to stop remaining quiet about it and start offering our support. Our support should not be just for the families involved in this tragedy but for all families who have someone in the military. They all deserve the help, protection, and support from each and every one of us. It is the least we can do as a country to honor the role their loved one is playing in protecting our country.
God bless those families who so tragically lost their loved ones yesterday. God bless those families who still have loved ones in the far reaches of the globe, fighting mysterious combatants in the name of freedom. Most importantly, God bless our soldiers for heeding a call to arms that most people just do not receive or understand and for protecting our freedoms.
Stacy – My heart still bleeds for the entire military community because this tragedy will impact every military installation throughout the world. It will be interesting to see how this entire situation plays out. I had forgotten that if he is found to have intentionally planned to murder those soldiers, the military still allows/requires the death penalty.
It was such a horrifying thing to see happen. He's awake and talking now, wonder what he's going to say.
Stephanie – Anyone can snap under pressure, but as a psychiatrist, wasn't it his job to notice the signs in himself? As long as there are threats to democracy and the United States, our men and women in service will always be sent overseas. As long as the military remains voluntary, they will forced to have to go back over and over again. They know this when they sign up, and they know it when they renew their commitment. To most people in the military, this is not the big deal it is to those on the outside.
Lisa – I agree that he was showing signs of not being part of the military, and yes, it is a huge failing on the part of the military not to have recognized it. However, he committed to serving his country. If he had any doubts whatsoever, he should have never sought a commission in the Army. Remember, it is a voluntary service. He didn't have to join.
It truly was a horrible and completely senseless tragedy. My heart does indeed go out to the families and the survivors of the shooting.
People have been known to just snap under pressure. It's unfortunate that we are still sending people overseas. And not just for one tour. But multiple times. It's just not fair.
This was such a terrible thing. Soldiers are not supposed to have to worry about their safety on base. The man that did this, though, had given so many clues that he should not be part of the military. I wish someone would have paid closer attention before he snapped.