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. Bill to attend technical school in Houston to work on wind turbines or oil rigs off the coast of Louisiana. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Fort Hood officials confirmed Monday that Martinez and Mosley were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. In other battles, having lost the use of his arm and later a leg, Hood had to be strapped to a horse for combat. (He was found a day later.) On April 30, 2021, Fort Hood found that Guillen had indeed been sexually harassed by a soldier, but not Robinson.). 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. The family began posting online about Guillen's disappearance and distributing "Missing" fliers. Despite 10,000 hours of investigation and 300 interviews, much about Guillens death remained a mystery. 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. At least 39 Fort Hood troops died or went missing last year. 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. Radically transparent, low cost versions of high cost generic drugs. New Market, Alabama. ", 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. I will tell you everything." The U.S. Army identified a soldier found dead behind his company barracks at Fort Hood last week as 26-year-old Spc. Don't they care as to what happened to Elder Fernandes? After 10 torturous weeks and growing. At least 159 Fort Hood soldiers died out of combat between 2016 and last year, including seven homicides and 71 suicides, according to an analysis by The New York Times. The base might have continued to devour its soldiers had it not been for a missing soldiers family whose rage, love, and devotion would attract the attention of the media, celebrities, and later the White House, sparking congressional and military investigations. Thirteen killed themselves. And on June 19, skeletal remains were found in a field behind a cul-de-sac of a residential neighborhood in Killeen. Sewell is the latest soldier to disappear from the base after a series of soldiers disappeared in the past few years. 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. Dominic Criqui, who served in Vanessa Guillen's unit, says that the training had come to feel "stupid" and "pointless." Robinson gave Guillen the serial number for a .50 caliber machine gun that needed servicing. His wife, Christal, was denied her husband's mobile phone, the final investigation report, and even his corpse, until Texas Congressman Ron Wright stepped in on that front. Victoria a friend of Gregory Wedel-Morales at the site of his remains, Killeen TX. When Ailina contacted the military police at Fort Hood, they told her that Fernandes was an adult, and that if he was missing, he likely didn't want to be found. And yet: The data is not really out of the ordinary for U.S. military bases. ), On July 3, a fortnight after Wedel-Morales's body was found, Specialist Miguel Yazzie, 33, died at Fort Hood after his repeated requests to see a doctor were denied, according to Carma Johnson, whose brother died at Fort Hood. (His son's alleged killer is in custody awaiting trial.) The Army said Friday, April 30, 2021, 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.. IMCOM is not responsible for the content of links outside home.army.mil. A few hours later, Robinson, who had mostly been playing video games, escaped Fort Hood by car. CID and Homeland security believe the NVGs were stolen from shipping . Had one of them stood in for Guillen during roll call? None of the grunts I spoke to was surprised by the number of casualties. Their minds both turned to Vanessa, whose hourly texts to family members had gone silent. On August 13, Staff Sergeant Bradley Moore died during a land navigation exercise on the base. How had he managed to escapeand where had he gotten his gun? And being mission-ready, the perpetual vigilance it requires, ensures a kind of endless possibility of war, which in turn justifies the $740 billion annual defense budget. But then certain details start illuminating the mystery: that one out of three women soldiers have experienced sexual harassment, according to a recent survey. Five were murdered. His body was found nearly a month later, two miles from the barracks. After 8 p.m., Guillens sister Mayra called the base. After hours, media should call the Emergency Operations Center at (254) 287-2054 and ask for the on-call PAO. 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. The deaths were caused by varying reasons -- gunshots, car accidents and illnesses and all the deaths were under probe. Deaths of two female soldiers in Texas under investigation January 5, 2021 / 11:39 AM / CBS News Investigations are underway across Texas after two female soldiers were found dead on New. The discovery in 2020 of the dismembered and burned remains of Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who disappeared on April 22, 2020, sparked outrage from central Texas to . Five were murdered. (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) Inside the rash of explained deaths at Fort Hood. 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. The Lovell case was ruled an accident despite the fact that a rival club's biker vest, or kutte, was found hanging neatly from a tree near the crash site, while his motorcyclemirror, taillightswas found intact. Killeen itself sits on an especially brutal stretch of central Texas, along the Balcones Fault, which separates the high plains of the Hill Country to the west from the grand prairies and limestone plains of the east, and along which runs Interstate 35. But as Beyer would soon realize, Finchs past wasnt what she claimedand Beyers own difficult history was up for the taking. 5.2 (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) Life Expectancy (at Birth) 76.5 years (2020) Marriage Rate. A group of soldiers, including Robinson, greeted them. Guillen's superior confirmed she was missing. 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 carsknew to pull down their window shades to avoid a pelting with rocks by locals. He had been happy enough there that in February he reenlisted for an additional four years. They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. There she encountered Specialist Aaron Robinson, also 20 years old but a rank above. Simply browse the Fort Hoods obituaries listing you can find on this page or conduct a search on the web site with your loved ones name. 60.2 (births per 1,000 women 15-44 years of age) Teen Birth Rate. Thirteen killed themselves. The U.S. Army announced Saturday that a soldier was found dead in the . "She doesn't belong to the Army anymore," AnaLuisa Tapia, a local organizer, told me. (His sons alleged killer is in custody awaiting trial.) 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. The wave of pain went away as suddenly as it had come on but returned again, and again, and again, over the next hour. (On July 14,2020, a federal grand injury indicted Aguilar on one count of conspiracy and two counts of tampering with evidence. Thirteen killed themselves. (According to Killeen police, no such vests were found at the scene of the crash. Killeen was named after another disappointing man: Frank Killeen, an assistant general manager to the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway. 16 Apr 2021 Military.com | By Matthew Cox The Army 's People First Task Force on Friday unveiled sweeping actions underway to transform the service's sexual harassment and assault prevention. The tributaries that run through Fort Hood flow into the Leon River, where Guillen's remains were later found. He had also gotten married without telling his family, been evicted from his apartment, and stopped showing up to work. 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. The numbers are distressing. Despite 10,000 hours of investigation and 300 interviews, much about Guillen's death remained a mystery. "As soon as I get out of the hospital, I will call you. He refused to send a selfie or get on a video chat and began using a strange and unfamiliar speech pattern. When his parents rushed to the hospital, they saw that Chee, lying unconscious, had bruises and scrapes on his chin and on both sides of his face. Later the same day, at 8:30 p.m., Aaron Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, changed her story and told Army investigators that Robinson had confessed to her that he killed Guillen in the arms room, beating her to death with a hammer. I felt a bad vibe there, Lupe says, referring to Fort Hood. (On July 14, 2020, a federal grand injury indicted Aguilar on one count of conspiracy and two counts of tampering with evidence. 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. The coming months brought the suicides of Staff Sergeant Richard Harrington, 45, and then Specialist James Green, 23. On March 5, 2020, Destanie Sawyer's 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. Casteel had been stationed at Fort Hood since the end of June, where hed been bullied for a spinal injury that consigned him to desk duties. Fort Hood has been the center of a bizarre and horrific set of tragedies in 2020. If he killed himself, dont they want to know why?. On August 25, a rail worker in Temple, Texas, 26 miles east of Fort Hood, saw a body hanging from a tree across from a burned-out warehouse near the tracks. Schuettes body was returned to his family wrapped like a mummy. Later that year, Private Dakota Lee Stump left his barracks to report for work less than a mile away but never arrived for formation. Matthew Disney, 20, of Aberdeen, Maryland, were pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical personnel at the North Carolina military. When his parents rushed to the hospital, they saw that Chee, lying unconscious, had bruises and scrapes on his chin and on both sides of his face. The deaths of Fort Hood soldiers have gained international attention in recent months after the slaying of Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old Army specialist the authorities say was killed on. During the day, though, it was still hot enough that if you dropped a beer bottle, the contents appeared to dry on contact. It's possible. 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. Had one of them stood in for Guillen during roll call? (Fort Hood refused all official interview requests for this story, citing ongoing investigations. 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. 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. On August 11, a higher-up called Fernandess mother, Ailina, to tell her that her son had not shown up for work for two days. On April 29, it was Private Joshua Barnwell, 19. THE MURDERS AT FORT HOOD Remains of soldiers have been turning up around the Texas military base with terrifying frequency. At first, Aguilar told investigators, they cut her up using a machete. As distressing as the remains in shallow graves or the missing hyoid bone is the fatalism from soldiers and locals alike. More than 90 lawmakers earlier this month called for an independent review of how the Army handled the disappearance of Spc. From this inauspicious start, Killeen grew into a proper military town and is now home to six strip clubs, 18 pawn shops, 35 dollar stores, and 38 tattoo parlors. "Give me the name and I will report the bastard," Gloria told her daughter, who refused to tell her mother more for fear of worrying her, and also, Gloria later suspected, for fear of reprisal. When Elisabeth Finch met Jennifer Beyer in 2019, the two women forged a fiercely loyal friendship, and eventually got married. The suicides, which reportedly jumped by as much as 20 percent across the military last year, work out to a rate of one soldier a month. Many complained specifically of being made to cut grass to ready for such official visits. Agamemnon demonstrates disrespect, vanity, and other lapses in judgment, the result of which is what clinical psychiatrist Jonathan Shay describes as "moral injury"a " (i) betrayal of what's right, (ii) by someone who holds legitimate authority, (iii) in a high stakes situation." Yes, flower arrangements are fulfilled and delivered by local florists from Fort Hood. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. More than 2,200 trials over land rights commenced. Toxic leadership is nothing new. Martinez joined the Army in April 2018 as a cannoneer, according to base officials. She filled out the paperwork that is the lifeblood of the Army before heading toward the arms room, a few paces away. Such moral injury deteriorates social trust, which is then "replaced by the settled expectancy of harm, exploitation, and humiliation from others," resulting in despair and violence to self and to others. Joshua Diamond, 35, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Pfc. He had messaged his sister beforehand to tell her something felt off. On most nights, I had nightmares. These figures eclipse American casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq in the same year. The plan, Wedel-Morales told anyone who would listen, was to use the G.I. "And how well will that look on your resume? The 2020 numbers add to ongoing mysteries, including a 2016 case . "What on earth are you training for?" The Lovell case was ruled an accident despite the fact that a rival clubs biker vest, or kutte, was found hanging neatly from a tree near the crash site, while his motorcyclemirror, taillightswas found intact. Five were murdered. It was also an ancient Comanche Native American burial ground, discovered when construction workers unearthed more than 2,200 grave sites in 1998. Fernandes had just been stationed at Fort Hood in January. (The person who called in with the tip declined to collect the reward. Thomas Berg, whose son Private Brandon Rosecranss Jeep was found burning in May, told me not to go out after dark. Why hadn't the arms room been treated like the crime scene it was? Chee had joined the military in part to support the young family he was starting with his high school sweetheart turned fiance. She has become that complicated, indelible thing: a hero. -. My caution wasnt entirely unfounded. Hood was an unsuccessful battle commander; 400 men of his Texas Brigade died in a single fight, some would argue through incautious direction. Joel Leal 12:18 PM, Oct 11, 2022 . The suicides, which reportedly jumped by as much as 20 percent across the military last year, work out to a rate of one soldier a month. (Fort Hood does not count Moore in its official casualty list, as he was a member of the National Guard.). Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims' families. At first, Aguilar told investigators, they cut her up using a machete. Thomas Berg, whose son Private Brandon Rosecrans's Jeep was found burning in May, told me not to go out after dark. They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. Had anyone helped Robinson clean up Guillen's murder in those 40 minutes? (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) Wedel-Morales was thrilled to become a father. But the only among the victims may be the institution that them all to. On June 30, a construction crew found shallow graves containing human remains that belonged to Guillen. "None of the messages added up, nor were they how he usually speaks to me," Rodriguez told me. 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. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Why was Robinson not put under watch? Memorial that now stands at the site Vanessa Guillen's remains were found in Killen, Texas. None of the grunts I spoke to was surprised by the number of casualties. Fernandes transferred to another unit where he was called a snitch and worse. Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims'. Gloria had noticed her losing weight and pressed her for why. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. American military bases, once established, seldom shutter, and Fort Hood, which started operating during World War II, has remained open for business, its 218,000 acres spreading across two counties in central Texas near an otherwise unremarkable town called Killeen. Basic details of the incident kept changing. Reformers would say that the military had failed its men and women. They married in May 2017, and he took her name with hyphenation. Lenz's mother, Margie Taylor, said her son loved children and looked forward to having a family of his own one day. Eventually Fernandes rang from the Army hospital. On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, Guillen reported for duty at Fort Hood. They married in May 2017, and he took her name with hyphenation. He died the evening of September 2. Rosecrans, shot four times, was found three miles from his vehicle. He had been happy enough there that in February he reenlisted for an additional four years. The U.S. Army on Tuesday announced the removal . Fort Hood is one of 800 United States military bases around the world, the third largest in the country. She pleaded not guilty. There had been a few people, then it was a group run of 11. The next day, Wedel-Morales failed to show up for duty, and the day after that, he was classified as absent without leave, making him one of the thousand or so soldiers who go AWOL in any given year. Fernandes wouldnt share much, nothing about what had caused him to be hospitalized, and said that he was using an insecure base hospital line. It was unclear, in 2020, what American soldiers were fighting for. 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. 6 min read. Ive lost brothers and sisters in arms, a marriage, Ive lost family, Ive lost friendships that were supposed to be forever. That an overwhelming majority of the town's 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. ", "I'm 21 now, and let me tell you. Yet instead of being taken into custody, Robinson was placed in a conference room on base, initially, it was said, for committing adultery, which is against the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 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. That is the opposite of what hes been consistently saying.. 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. A soft October wind carried the first chill of the season. In death, Guillen has become a kind of patron saint for all those who feel wronged by the U.S. military. That most soldiers enlist when they are still teenagers, their yet-unformed minds taught to kill. Chris and Moses friends of Gregory Wedel-Morales at the site of his remains, Killeen TX. 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. The figures coming out of the deaths at Fort Hood are depressing, as reported in Vanity Fair. Sergeant Brad Reynolds, 37, killed himself on May 16. Lenz was found dead at Fort Hood on Feb. 1. Namely, the military. 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. None of the messages added up, nor were they how he usually speaks to me, Rodriguez told me. "That is the opposite of what he's been consistently saying.". Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims' families. 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. (Fort Hood contributed nearly $30 billion to the Texas economy in 2019, according to the Texas comptrollers office.). The stories are gruesome, then heartbreaking, then beyond belief. 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. Later Fort Hood confirmed it was for violating quarantine. Today, Reform Austin is attempting to put the entire chain of events into a concise timeline for our readers. Then they tried burning the body. 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. A sergeant from Guillen's division called it "mandatory fun days." 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. 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. A few hours later, Robinson, who had mostly been playing video games, escaped Fort Hood by car. Guilln's death triggered a social media movement of former and current military service people speaking out about sexual assault and harassment on the base. Fuck Biden, Dont Tread on Me, and a Wisconsin Death Trip for Our Times. Gloria had noticed her losing weight and pressed her for why. Later, Robinson would tell investigators that Guillen completed her task and exited the building. 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. In death, she is no longer a daughter or a sister or a partner. At 9:30 p.m., Mayra, Cruz, Guillens other sister Yovana, and Yovanas boyfriend set out for Fort Hood. The 20-year-old small arms specialist, then a private first class, was supposed to be off that day, so she showed up in civilian clothesblack tee, purple leggings, and a fanny pack. Fernandes was dropped off at his friend's house the next day, August 17, never to be seen again. Because what the military asks of its men and women is so antisocial, it must co-opt the rhetoric of the family. Fort Hood might not even stand out were it not for a particularly bad year among many. 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. Fertility Rate. The very next day, a Fort Hood investigation concluded that Fernandess charges of sexual assault were unsubstantiated. When Ailina offered the Fort Hood authorities the contents of her son's car, including a laptop, iPad, and external hard drive, they declined to investigate further. 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. During the run, Chee, who had no preexisting health conditions, collapsed. And how well will that look on your rsum?, Im 21 now, and let me tell you. III Corps Policies and Regulations . Fernandess family told me they have never been interviewed. 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. October 14, 2021 Ryan Morgan. He died the evening of September 2. Fort Hood might not even stand out were it not for a particularly bad year among many. Schuette's body was returned to his family "wrapped like a mummy." By Marlene Lenthang October 13, 2021, 9:15 AM 2:25 On Location: February 24, 2023 Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. This was true of many I met at Fort Hood, including press officer Major Gabriela Thompson, my tour guide on base, who told me she joined to pay off her student loans: "It was my ticket out," she said, echoing other soldiers' sentiments about how the military had rescued them from hardscrabble existences. Before Guillen, there had been Private LaVena Lynn Johnson, who was found dead in a tent in 2005 in Iraq. 24, 2021 KILLEEN, Texas Spc. Shelby Tyler Jones, 20, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, March 1, 2020, outside of a convenience store on Fort Hood Street. = Link to a nongovernmental site. These deaths confirm to many the issues reported at the post . (Fort Hood does not count Moore in its official casualty list, as he was a member of the National Guard.). Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers died or went missing. The plan, Wedel-Morales told anyone who would listen, was to use the G.I. During the day, though, it was still hot enough that if you dropped a beer bottle, the contents appeared to dry on contact. In the same week, Private Edward Casteel, who had been missing from Fort Hood since October 6, was found in a parish jail in Louisiana, arrested after a high-speed chase. (The person who called in with the tip declined to collect the reward. "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? Guillen's youngest sister, Lupe, made me promise to stay at the Marriott, a hotel she considered safer than the rest. It was ruled a suicide until her father noticed her broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, and burns on her genitals. Rodriguez disputes this claim. As publication approached, it stopped responding to emails pertaining to both specific questions about individual cases as well as broader queries about the base.).
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