Robinson gave Guillen the serial number for a .50 caliber machine gun that needed servicing. Eventually Fernandes rang from the Army hospital. Eric Christopher Hogan and Pfc. Those remains, it turned out, belonged to yet another soldier, Private Gregory Wedel-Morales, who had gone missing the previous summer. Inside Jeffrey Epsteins Decades-Long Relationship With Leslie Wexner Trumps Deranged Replacement Theory Mightve Lost Him the Election Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk Want to Burn Their Cash in Space Three Texans Bust Myths About the Alamos Famous Last Stand The Guy Who Could Send Trump to Prison May Soon Cooperate With the Feds Bill and Melinda Gatess Epic Divorce Saga Enters Its Next Phase Juneteenth, Critical Race Theory, and the Winding Road Toward Reckoning Trump Is Now Urging People Not to Vaccinate Their Kids Against COVID From the Archive: Microsofts Odd Couple, in the Words of Paul Allen Not a subscriber? Ozempic is also used by adults with type 2 diabetes who have heart and blood vessel disease to reduce their risk of a stroke, heart attack, or death . On August 17, Sergeant Elder Fernandes, 23, disappeared. It's possible. But when Kim called the police, they dismissed her, telling Kim that her son probably just "took off." But with each encounter, it was becoming clear that the military had not failed its soldiers at all. -. A sergeant from Guillens division called it mandatory fun days. The additional scrutinythe congressional delegation visit, press toursmeant that soldiers had to work harder. The Times found 159 noncombat deaths of Fort Hood soldiers since the beginning of 2016, which included seven homicides and 71 suicides. May Jeong has written an in-depth analysis of the rash of unexplained deaths at Fort Hood. He had also gotten married without telling his family, been evicted from his apartment, and stopped showing up to work. Who were the soldiers who had testified to seeing Guillen leave the arms room the day she disappeared? Chee had joined the military in part to support the young family he was starting with his high school sweetheart turned fiance. Had anyone helped Robinson clean up Guillen's murder in those 40 minutes? The U.S. Army announced Saturday that a soldier was found dead in the . On May 18, Brandon Rosecranss burning Jeep was discovered in a hilly suburb east of Fort Hood. Fort Hood is the Army's premier installation to train and deploy heavy forces. ", Several days later, Rodriguez learned that Casteel had been committed to a hospital on base. (Penny says they met online.) That psychological trauma among veterans vastly exceeds physical wounds. The figures coming out of the deaths at Fort Hood are depressing, as reported in Vanity Fair. 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. 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. (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) By then Wedel-Morales had grown distant from his family in Oklahoma, who had not been told of the marriage. The U.S. Army on Tuesday announced the removal . Far from itthe military was operating as it had been intended. (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.). 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. So much of reporting is opening yourself up to chance, and there I was, compulsively locking and relocking the rental car door. In 1941, Private Felix Hall was lynched by fellow soldiers, at Fort Benning, Georgia. FORT HOOD, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - U.S. Army officials at Fort Hood have identified the soldier who was found dead Saturday, Oct. 13 behind his company barracks. 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. Maxwell Hockin. 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. 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. 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. Later, Robinson would tell investigators that Guillen completed her task and exited the building. 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. Rodriguez sensed something was off. 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 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. 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. 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. (The person who called in with the tip declined to collect the reward. Garrison Policies and Regulations. Thomas Berg, whose son Private Brandon Rosecrans's Jeep was found burning in May, told me not to go out after dark. 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. Had one of them stood in for Guillen during roll call? Next I passed Club Dreams, where Specialist Shelby Jones was shot, bled out, and died last March; then Guns Galore, where Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan purchased a semiautomatic pistol that he would use to kill 13 people in 2009. When Elisabeth Finch met Jennifer Beyer in 2019, the two women forged a fiercely loyal friendship, and eventually got married. At first blush, such violence at a base that calls itself the Great Place may seem extraordinary, inexplicable even. Guillen's superior confirmed she was missing. Wedel-Morales was thrilled to become a father. Fort Hood had refused to list him as missing, and it was only after his then fiance, Paradise Rodriguez, posted a video on Facebook that an officer at the parish jail saw it and got into contact. As distressing as the remains in shallow graves or the missing hyoid bone is the fatalism from soldiers and locals alike. But advocates for. On May 19, military investigators went through Robinson's phone and learned that he had called his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, multiple times on the night of April 22, as late as 3:30 a.m., from a town 20 miles east of Fort Hooddespite his claim he had been with Aguilar that night. 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. Why had it taken forensics 72 days to conduct a search of the arms room? Toxic leadership is nothing new. 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. On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, Guillen reported for duty at Fort Hood. Traveling in the time of plague, trying to build rapport with people from six feet away, was enervating. 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 is a United States Army post located near Killeen, . If not, what explained the false accounting? Sergeant Brad Reynolds, 37, killed himself on May 16. Soon after, the Temple police, who led the investigation, ruled Fernandess death a suicide. A group of soldiers, including Robinson, greeted them. September 10, 2020. Rodriguez disputes this claim. 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. Women, who make up 17 percent of active-duty military, were doubly bereft, and the case files were awash with stories of the dead. 5.2 (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) Life Expectancy (at Birth) 76.5 years (2020) Marriage Rate. 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 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.. She had also missed her standing noon call with her fianc, Juan Cruz. 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. They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. Later came Koreans, Japanese, and Vietnamese, who still run sushi and pho restaurants in Killeen. A U.S. Army soldier, Spc. Club Fuego where Gregory Wedel-Morales was last seen, Killeen Tx. She has become that complicated, indelible thing: a hero. Why was Robinson not put under watch? 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. "She is now for the movement.". Why hadn't the arms room been treated like the crime scene it was? These figures eclipse American casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq in the same year. Later came Koreans, Japanese, and Vietnamese, who still run sushi and pho restaurants in Killeen. At first blush, such violence at a base that calls itself "the Great Place" may seem extraordinary, inexplicable even. 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. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Search Fort Hood obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. 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. 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. Fort Hood also stated that it had completed an exhaustive search for Fernandes, and that it had interviewed all relevant parties, including the family. These deaths confirm to many the issues reported at the post . 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. Red White and Blue via The US Army is licensed with CC BY-ND 2.0. Stump was going 82 mph in a 30-mph zone, the investigation report said, and had hit a tree on a mound. Mayra wept during the journey, already fearing the worst. Joshua Diamond, 35, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Pfc. "What on earth are you training for?" 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. III Corps Inspector General. Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now. Jef Rouner. Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers died or went missing. There had been a few people, then it was a group run of 11. Hood was an unsuccessful battle commander; 400 men of his Texas Brigade died in a single fight, some would argue through incautious direction. Yes, flower arrangements are fulfilled and delivered by local florists from Fort Hood. The military, Rodriguez said, had known about this but had refused to treat him. Fort Hood informed Rodriguez that he had asked for this. That American imperialism is imploding, and the blast force radiates inward. Fort Hood is one of 800 United States military bases around the world, the third largest in the country. You can find Osama bin Laden, but you cant find a soldier that went missing on your own base? Guillens youngest sister, Lupe, says. Fernandes transferred to another unit where he was called a snitch and worse. Don't they care as to what happened to Elder Fernandes? Guillen confessed that she was being harassed by another soldier. I've even lost myself." Ad Choices. Specialist Vanessa Guillen's father, Rogelio, wondered if I shouldn't carry a gun. She filled out the paperwork that is the lifeblood of the Army before heading toward the arms room, a few paces away. The brutal murders of four Idaho college students shocked millions. How had he managed to escapeand where had he gotten his gun? 24, 2021 KILLEEN, Texas Spc. I will tell you everything." THE GREAT PLACE. It was ruled a suicide until her father noticed her broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, and burns on her genitals. PUBLISHED 10:53 AM CT Mar. When the family exhumed his body in November 2020 for want of a second opinion, the independent autopsy revealed that the bone had in fact gone missing.) 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. The corpse had been dead for a while, though it was impossible to determine exactly how long. A group of soldiers, including Robinson, greeted them. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. 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. 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." The plan, Wedel-Morales told anyone who would listen, was to use the G.I. At first, Aguilar told investigators, they cut her up using a machete. 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. 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. Thomas Berg, whose son Private Brandon Rosecranss Jeep was found burning in May, told me not to go out after dark. Fort Hood informed Rodriguez that he had asked for this. Why hadnt the arms room been treated like the crime scene it was? The tributaries that run through Fort Hood flow into the Leon River, where Guillen's remains were later found. A sergeant from Guillen's division called it "mandatory fun days." The 2020 numbers add to ongoing mysteries, including a 2016 case where a corpse's hyoid, the U-shaped neck bone typically examined to determine whether strangulation has occurred, was missing. 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. Maxwell Hockin. (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) Robinson himself left soon thereafter, he would testify, to spend the night off post with his girlfriend. 6 min read. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. Dominic Criqui, who served in Vanessa Guillens unit, says that the training had come to feel stupid and pointless. What on earth are you training for? he asks, then answers. There, Wedel-Moraless remains had been found, long ago decomposed in the Texas heat. Sewell is the latest soldier to disappear from the base after a series of soldiers disappeared in the past few years. More than 2,200 trials over land rights commenced. She pleaded not guilty. 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. It rained that night, and the drive, which should have taken three hours, was slow going. 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. 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. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. Also that year, Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach was raped by her superior, which she reported. He had been happy enough there that in February he reenlisted for an additional four years. Fertility Rate. It was unclear, in 2020, what American soldiers were fighting for. In 2020 alone, 31. 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. Ive lost so much since Ive been in. Fernandes transferred to another unit where he was called a snitch and worse. Oct 29, 2021. 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. The numbers are distressing. On May 18, Brandon Rosecrans's burning Jeep was discovered in a hilly suburb east of Fort Hood. Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims' families. 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 author knocks on the doors bearing the darkest symbols, behind which lie guns, ammo, antisemitism, antiabortion dogmaand a belief in the coming civil war. This memory now refreshed, Gloria began asking around for a name and soon learned it through Guillens friend: Aaron Robinson, the last person to have seen her daughter. 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. 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. Gloria had noticed her losing weight and pressed her for why. 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. On April 29, it was Private Joshua Barnwell, 19. Atop these sedimentary layers of desecration, displacement, and disorientation, the War Department set out to build a base that would go on to serve as a footnote to nearly every war in modern memoryKorea, Vietnam, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, but also Grenada, Panama, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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