It has been a terrible 2020 for Fort Hood. The national spotlight has focused on our area as the base continues to deal with the deaths of more than two dozen soldiers 9 months into this year alone.

Just a week after a change in leadership on post, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday launched an investigation into Fort Hood's leadership response and requested information and documents involving recent deaths according to our partners at News 10.

Two Democrats, Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Jackie Speier of California who leads the Committee on Armed Services' Subcommittee on Military Personnel, sent a letter to Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy requesting information on the Army's response and investigations into the deaths of Sergeant Elder Fernandes, Specialist Vanessa Guillen, Private Gregory Wedel-Morales, and Private Mejhor Morta specifically.

While the Army has directed an independent review of Fort Hood, Congressional oversight is necessary to determine whether base leadership—by omission or commission—has
allowed or enabled a culture to exist that undermines the values and traditions of the U.S. Army.

The letter also seeks details from Fort Hood leadership, CID, and state and local law enforcement authorities related to the deaths of Private First Class Brandon Scott Rosecrans, Specialist Freddy Delacruz Jr., and Specialist Shelby Tyler Jones.

 

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