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Shooting investigation team arrives at Hood

The team of current and former high-ranking officials chosen to conduct a broad review of the shooting incident at Fort Hood, Texas, and how it might have been prevented, arrived at the post Nov. 24.

Former Army Secretary Togo West and retired Navy Adm. Vernon Clark, former chief of naval operations, were named by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to lead the 45-day ``initial probe into the Nov. 5 shooting, which left 12 soldiers and one civilian dead.

As part of the initial investigation, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey has appointed Gen. Carter Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army, and Col. Christopher O’Brien, office of the Judge Advocate General for USAEUR and 7th Army, to work with West and Clark on Army-specific issues, as stipulated by Gates.

It’s unclear whether the team will try to talk to Maj. Nidal Hasan, who was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the shooting. He remains in intensive care at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, while recovering from gunshot wounds.

Hasan’s civilian attorney, John Galligan, said Nov. 24 it’s unlikely he would allow the Pentagon team or anyone else to question his client.

The team’s investigation will lead to an in-depth review that will involve the participation of senior officials from each service, who will report their findings to a chain of command at the Defense Department level.

The department-wide group will be charged with assessing the findings and identifying changes needed in policy and procedure, as well as areas where additional resources are required, Gates said.

“In light of the Fort Hood incident and unique challenges, the Army will conduct a more in-depth, detailed assessment of whether Army programs, policies and procedures reasonably could have prevented the shooting,” Gates said in a news release.

The Army’s findings will be submitted as part of the Army’s contribution to the departmental review, Gates added.