Fort Hood Terror Victims Deserve Better

Today, U.S. Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX) cosponsored Rep. John Carter’s (R-TX) bill, H.R. 705, that would grant the victims and victims’ families of the November 5, 2009, attack on Fort Hood the same treatment and benefits as those Americans who have been killed or wounded in a combat zone overseas and their families. Williams represents Coryell County as well as portions of Bell County, the city of Killeen and Fort Hood.

“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedom,” said Williams. “We should do everything in our power to take care of those who sacrifice their lives in our defense.”

H.R. 705, the Fort Hood Victims and Families Benefits Protection Act, would right a flagrant wrong: Currently, the troops killed and wounded in the attack at Fort Hood are denied the treatment, benefits and honors granted to their deployed counterparts who are killed or wounded only because the attack took place on U.S. soil rather than in a declared combat zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan. The Pentagon deemed the killing of these 12 military service members, including a pregnant soldier, and one civilian “workplace violence” rather than combat violence.

In a recent ABC News report (WARNIING: graphic video), one victim said this designation of workplace violence has cost him $70,000 in medical expenses. Kimberly Munly, a former member of the base’s civilian police force, was shot three times. Munly was a special guest of the Obamas at the 2009 State of the Union address and has since stated, “Not the least little bit have the victims been taken care of. In fact they’ve been neglected.”

“This is reprehensible,” Williams concluded. “Our troops were attacked on U.S. soil by an Islamic extremist – that is not workplace violence. That is a terrorist attack. Our troops deserve better.”