makes this tragedy heartbreaking and inexplicable. this especially hits home for linda and i because ft. hood and the central community has been my family s home away from home for more than seven years having served here as a commander of a brigade, the fourth infantry division and three corps. i have personally experienced the warmth and resiliency of the soldiers and the families and the community, the ft. hood family has been central to the army s success over the last 13 years of war, sharing in our victories and grieving when we lost those dearest to us. you were there for us and for our families when we deployed forces, whether it be to iraq or afghanistan, you were there for us when we struggled to understand and recover from the
for them. in the days and months ahead our highest priority will be the care for our wounded service members, their families, and the families of the fallen. we will also do everything within our power to investigate every detail, to learn, to adapt and to protect our most valuable resource, the men and women of our u.s. army. i have once again been touched by the inherent strength of the american spirit, that our country was built upon. i m inspired by the stories about soldiers, families, civilians, communities, businesses, and private organizations, giving so generously of themselves and their resources. the family readiness groups, the red cross, uso, and local businesses who immediately reached out to our ft. hood family. as we have during our difficult times, we will have strength in