Military Confidence Still Strong After Fort Hood Incident

Students and military personnel alike are still in shock and disarray over finding out that a U.S. Army Major allegedly shot and killed 13 soldiers, while wounding several others at Fort Hood Army base in Texas.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a military psychologist, has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder. The Pentagon has launched a full scale investigation of the incident.

Many Americans have family members in the military, and any one of them could have been a victim of the November 5 crime. There are many unanswered questions that people have, and the incident was a hot topic on the minds of people on Veterans Day in Greenboro.

Members of the U.S. military are angry.

“I think he’s a coward because he worked for the enemy and killed our servicemen and women because he was mad that we were sending more troops to Iraq," said Brennden Colbert, an Airman First Class in the U.S. Air Force from East Hartford, Conn. during a phone interview. "I’m also mad at the U.S. government because I don’t think a Middle Eastern native should be allowed to be involved in the Iraq war without a background check. I’m highly disappointed because now we have to watch our backs in our own backyard."

The anger continues to be a problem because now people are starting to question whether or not this could have been prevented. They are also beginning to put into question how much attention is paid to our own country, rather than the ones we are fighting.

“I feel that the military police should be more aware of their own backyard and that they should realize that things can happen here. Sometimes the enemy can wear the American flag on their right arm just like we do,” said Colbert.

“It was a tragic event, and the man responsible should be punished to the highest extent of the law,” said U.S. Army Private Lavon Colvin, an A&T alumni from Greensboro.

"It's not even Afghanistan and we are dying over here in the United States. I have not lost faith in the military, I just think that we should have better tactics when it comes to protecting our men and women," said Pertenia Haynes, a sophomore special education major at North Carolina A&T.

Despite the tragedy, Colbert says he still has a duty to perform. On Veterans Day 2009, Colbert reflected on that duty.

"No, I don't feel any different about the military. Integrity first. Service before self, and excellence in all we do are the core values of the U.S. Air Force. However, these values go along with all components of the military. Anything that happens to us is just as much a learning experience for us as it is for civilians. When everything else fails, we don't," said Colbert.

They will still continue to fight for what they believe in, and protect this country as best as they can.

By: Essence Lee