New Fort Hood Memorial Gate To Honor Vanessa Guillen

Plans for a new memorial gate in honor of a slain Fort Hood soldier are underway.

According to KWTX, Fort Hood officials announced Tuesday that a memorial gate will be constructed in honor of Vanessa Guillen, the murdered soldier whose death made national headlines and sparked investigations into Ft. Hood's culture and how soldier who report harassment and abuse are treated.

Guillen, whose remains were found in June near the Leon River, was last seen in a parking lot of her Squadron Headquarters. The man believed to have murdered her, Spc. Aaron David Robinson, committed suicide July 1st as officers approached him. Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Anne Aguilar, is in federal custody and is accused of helping Robinson dismember Guillen and hide her remains.

Lt. Gen. Pat White, III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General, said Tuesday that Guillen's family were at Fort Hood to share their thoughts on what the gate will look like and see the site where it will be constructed.

"One of the reasons we invited the Guillen family today was to discuss and review design concepts and survey a proposed site of a gate we plan to name in Vanessa’s honor, Lt. Gen White wrote in a news release. "Their input is important for our final design that will come to fruition over the next few months."

Since her death, Guillen's family have received an outpouring of support from tons of people and even celebrities. The gate built in her honor will lead to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment where she served.

Fort Hood came under heavy scrutiny this year after a number of disappearances and deaths. Back in September, Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt was removed from his position as head of the base and replaced by Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV. Since then, multiple investigations have probed the base's culture and its handling of the deaths and disappearances there in recent months.