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Fort Hood Memorial
Aired November 10, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, grandparents, they have come to pay their respects to their fallen heroes, to these loved ones who need needlessly died last Thursday.
Michael Gerson, a former speechwriter for President Bush, as bitter as the political dialogue here in Washington gets from time to time, this is a moment when everybody can unite.
MICHAEL GERSON, FMR. SPEECHWRITER FOR PRESIDENT BUSH: I agree with that. I think it is a bipartisan moment, a moment of sympathy and grief. But it is, in a certain way, not just marking a terrible tragedy, but beginning that next phase of the president having to go before the country, a reluctant Congress, lead the military, itself, into more exertions moving forward, with more casualties in Afghanistan very likely. And so, you know, I think the whole country is looking to him from this moment to begin a process of communication that's going to be quite difficult.
BLITZER: And you suspect in these remarks that we're about to hear from the president -- and we expect him to speak for 15 to 20 minutes or so -- we will hear the beginning of that address to the American people?
GERSON: I don't think he'll address Afghanistan directly. I do think, though, that providing this leadership that says, the sacrifices of Americans in the world right now have a great and noble meaning. That's an important message for him. It's an important message for the military and for the country that's going to have to sacrifice more, economically, and with casualties moving forward.
BLITZER: John King is there on the scene for us.
John, we're told by the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, that the president will mention each of these 13 fallen heroes by name, say something about each one. Their families are there. They've been brought to Fort Hood, at least most of them, to remember their loved ones. That will be a rather emotional part of the president's remarks.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly will be, Wolf. He wants to first single out each of the victims of this horrific massacre and talk about their individual service to their country and to this community, and the individual sacrifice each of these families is making, as you watch some of the family members walk out. And then he will, as Michael just said, also link them to the collective sacrifice. An Army installation, today, Wolf, is a very different place than if you visited even three or five years ago. Now they have these warrior in transition battalions. They are trying to come to terms with, how do you get men and women who lost limbs in combat back repaired physically? How do you get people with traumatic brain injuries from all the IED explosions and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? How do you help them put their lives back together and their relationships back together?
And it is a task the Army itself admits it has much more learning and experience and teaching and repairing to do. But that now takes place on these installations where once you came to watch them train to go to war. And so these are different places anyway because of the last eight years.
And then at this installation, the Army's largest, for this to happen, as General Honore said, for one of their own to turn on them and to shoot them down in the streets where they go to school and where they repair their wounds and where they buy their groceries and where they think their families are safest, is what has stunned this community. And it's a huge challenge for the president, today, and for this community to thank each and every one.
And you see the boots and the photographs there individually. But then to collect it to the remarkable sacrifice.
The wars, as you've noted, Wolf, have become far too political. And whether you're for or against the war in Iraq, for or against the war in Afghanistan, we don't often enough step back and reflect on the service and the sacrifice of the men and women of the armed services, but their families as well.
It has been eight very tough years for two and three and four rotations for many of them. And this is a day to remember 13 individuals slain. And I think also to reflect on a much bigger sacrifice.
BLITZER: And when we look at these individuals, if you see a white ribbon that someone is wearing, that symbolizes that that person is a family member, whether a brother or sister, a mother, father, son or daughter, grandparent of one of these 13 fallen heroes at Fort Hood. That white ribbon symbolizes that that's a family member who has come to pay final respects to a loved one, indeed.
And there are the boots, the photos of those 13 active duty U.S. military personnel, one U.S. Army retired chief warrant office, Michael Cahill. And there are some more family members coming in.
These people, as John pointed out earlier, these 13 fallen heroes, they came from all over the United States. They were brought to Fort Hood to be processed. They're rotating in to get ready to be deployed overseas, mostly going to Afghanistan.
Right now, Fort Hood has been the rotation center for so many thousands, hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops who have gone to and come back from Iraq, Afghanistan and other posts around the world. There you see on that map the locations where these 13 U.S. military personnel were from.
Their families have been brought by the U.S. Army to Fort Hood in Texas to participate in this memorial service. It will be very difficult for them, but no doubt everyone is trying to reassure them, to help them cope with this awful, awful ordeal.
Michael Gerson is here with us as well.
This whole period of mourning for these family members is something I'm sure the president will address.
GERSON: I agree with that. And he has -- at moments like this, the president has almost a religious duty. He's the pastor in chief.
He has to assure people that the completely unjust circumstance that's right before their eyes is not the final word, that there's a meaning beyond it. I think that that -- it almost requires a president to go into a different realm, not just a political realm, when he does a speech like this.
And that's what's of comfort to families. They want to hear that sacrifice matters, that these things have lasting significance and importance. That's one of his main goals.
BLITZER: It's not easy to put all that in words, and for a president to make those words really resonate, because there are so many different audiences who will be listening. First and foremost, the family members, themselves.
GERSON: I agree with that. It's both balancing speaking to individuals, because all suffering is individual. And these people had a special loss. But then providing a context for the nation as well and speaking for the nation.
And so it is, it's a real rhetorical challenge. But it's also the memorable rhetorical moments of a presidency.
BLITZER: General George Casey, who also will be speaking, the chief of the U.S. Army, Barbara Starr, he points out -- he pointed out the other day there are about 3,000 Muslims serving in the U.S. Army, active duty and reserve. And this alleged shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a Muslim, I suspect -- and we'll have to wait and see -- that General Casey and maybe the president of the United States, himself, will reach out and say let's not draw any conclusions yet, this investigation is continuing, and let's not rush to judgment about other Muslims who risk their lives on behalf of the United States.
STARR: I have been with soldiers of all religious persuasions, including those who follow the faith of Islam in conflict zones. And I can tell you, there is no question, there are so many of all faiths who serve their countries honorably with great distinction and risk their own lives in the war zones to help others and to save and honor their fellow soldiers.
So, all the statements that have been made over the last several days since this happened last Thursday perhaps should await the investigation and the actual, you know, findings of fact about what happened here and how this tragedy unfolded. There are many hundreds of those of the Islamic faith in the U.S. military, as there are of many faiths. And the overwhelming majority, as we know, serve very honorably.
I wanted to follow up on something Michael said. I think the president will be the pastor in chief, but as Michael said, I think he also will show to the troops a bit of steel. That it will be -- there will be time to recover, there will be time to move forward , and that the military, very tough, very sadly, again, will be asked to do more for the country in the days ahead.
BLITZER: John King is there.
John, I'm struck by the silence. These thousands of people who have gathered on the greens here at Fort Hood in Texas -- it's just so quiet right now.
KING: And Wolf, this is the great dignified Army tradition of saying farewell and paying silent tribute. And as they wait for the official service to get under way, you have an installation that has said good-bye to too many people, 520-plus killed in Iraq and Afghanistan the past eight years.
And soldiers we have spoken to here say this one stings a bit more in some ways because it happened close at home. But duty and honor is not -- they're not just words to these men and women. It's how they live their lives and it is how they know that those who have lost their lives need to be treated and remembered.
BLITZER: The Office of the Garrison at Fort Hood estimates about 15,000 people have come to pay their respects at this memorial service honoring these 13 fallen heroes. And we see some of them -- as I pointed out earlier, those wearing white little ribbons, those are family members of these 13, 12 of whom were active duty U.S. military personnel, one U.S. Army retired.
The president and first lady will be walking in very soon, together with Lieutenant General Robert Cone, the commanding General, III Corps at Fort Hood, and General George Casey, the chief of staff of the United States Army. All three of them will speak, and the invocation, which we will be hearing soon, will be delivered by the chaplain at the base, the III Corps chaplain, Colonel Michael Lemke.
All of this very, very carefully scripted, rich in military tradition and honor, honoring these fallen heroes as we hear the 1st Cavalry Division Band continue some music, a prelude concert.
You know, I'd like to just listen briefly to the 1st Cavalry Division Band.
(MUSIC)
BLITZER: The final dignitaries are walking in, and the military brass and the president and the first lady will be coming in. And then they will begin this memorial service appropriately with the National Anthem.
Folks have gathered. They're getting ready to pay tribute to these 13 fallen heroes.
It's important that we remember this is a day that we'll focus on them, these 13. They come from very diverse backgrounds, from all over the country. Lots of different experiences, life experiences.
And I think we're about to see the president and the first lady walk in, Fort Hood, Texas, to begin this memorial service.
It really is, John King, for President Obama, correct me if I'm wrong, the first such memorial service he is participating in since becoming president. Off the top of my head, I don't remember anything like this, but maybe you do.
KING: He did go to Dover Air Force Base recently to welcome home the caskets of the fallen. I believe it was nine members of the military and three drug enforcement agents. I may have the numbers wrong, and forgive me if I do.
BLITZER: But he didn't speak there.
(CROSSTALK)
KING: But he did not speak, right. That was just a private event where he met with the families, and we saw him saluting the return of the fallen.
I have no recollection of the president -- I do know that as he is here today, Mr. Obama here at Fort Hood, the vice president is also out at Fort Lewis, where I was last week. Eight of the soldiers who returned on that plane are being honored in a memorial service out at Fort Lewis.
They, of course, killed in combat. The folks here killed on base. And it is the first time, as everyone has noted, it comes not only on the eve of Veterans Day in the United States, but it comes very close to the president's momentous decision about sending more troops into Afghanistan.
So, his challenges are many. First and foremost, of course, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in this inexplicable, in many ways, massacre here at Fort Hood.
And Wolf, while we were talking, I believe we just showed the picture just a moment ago of a little girl. She's just feet from where I'm sitting, and she's walking in the back, holding her bottle of apple juice in one hand, the program for the service in the other. And it is a reminder of where we are.
Seventy thousand people live here. And this base trains men and women to go to war, but it is also home for so many families. It's where they go to school. It's where they go to the doctor.
And you see another beautiful baby here sitting. And look at the bib. "My daddy is my hero," holding the program, paying tribute to her daddy.
And if you're unfamiliar with the military culture, this is a day not only to honor these people, but to remember what they do, whether you agree with it politically or not. And this is an amazing place, the Army's largest installation.
And, you know, there is training here. You watch the tanks roll and you hear the guns fire, but you also see little children going to the grocery store and wandering the grounds and playing in the playgrounds. And they have been stung and hit in the most harsh way in the place they call home -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Those crates we see there, those containers, John, on the side, on the right side of the screen, they're very symbolic. Explain to our viewers why they were placed there.
KING: They're placed here for one word: security. This is a very open area, on a large open military installation. And you not only have the president of the United States here and the chief of staff of the Army, but as you noted, a crowd of about 15,000 people in an open space.
And perhaps a week ago they wouldn't think all this security so necessary for a presidential visit here, but the steel cargo containers have been wrapped around this place, essentially to block the view. Harsh to say it, but to block the view of anybody who might want to attack this place or open fire on this place at this moment. It is pure and simple, a security arrangement.
BLITZER: We're told that the chief chaplain who will be delivering the invocation is Colonel Michael Lemke of the III Corps. He's an Evangelical Lutheran, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
He's been the chaplain serving at Fort Hood. He's the senior chaplain there. And he was, we're told, the lead planner for this memorial service.
This information coming from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Michael Gerson, you're not writing the president's remarks. You did write speeches for former President Bush. But if you were, give me a line or two, something you would want to make sure would be included in a speech like this today.
GERSON: Well, I think -- you know, it's comfort, but it has to be more than comfort. It just has to summarize what the nation's thinking right now, which is confusion but a sense of purpose, but also has to have this element of toughness, mental toughness. That these kind of moments are difficult, but America is sacrificing in great causes.
That, to me, I think is an important part of this message, is to define the cause in which these people died, even in a situation like this. All people in our military dedicate themselves to a cause because that's what they believe in most.
BLITZER: He has to rally the troops. There's no doubt about that. But he also has to comfort the families, Barbara Starr. He has to make sure that as the commander in chief, as the president of the United States, he looks at those families --- and we're told he's been meeting with those family members before this service begins, just reaching out to them and trying to give them some comfort.
STARR: Just look at the anguish these soldiers are feeling right now. Again, these are young people from across the country who volunteered to go in harm's way.
They leave their homes, their families. They go to faraway places, live in danger for a year because they believe in service to this nation. This is a volunteer force.
I think the president will reflect that. I think he will reflect very great respect and thanks for those who have fallen at Fort Hood. But again, the broader thanks to the U.S. military, because these young troops will want to know that the president, the military brass, the generals, all understand what they're going through.
And these days, because this nation has been at war for so long, it is an extraordinary time. General Casey, General Petraeus, these men have served in the combat zone. They have sadly written hundreds of letters of condolences to families of the fallen. They have visited countless wounded in hospitals across this country.
We are at a time in military history right now when the generals also have vast experience in the combat zone. This is a shared experience of anguish today, but the military will want this also to be a shared experience of going forward -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes. Well said.
John King, you pointed out earlier, this is the largest U.S. military base in the world. At any one time, maybe 70,000 or more troops and dependents, family members, live on this base. Some are getting ready to be deployed overseas. Some are being rotated back home from overseas, whether Iraq or Afghanistan or Korea, Germany, other areas around the world where the United States has deployed troops.
And it is, in many respects, John -- you've been there now for a while -- almost like a city with schools and supermarkets and community centers. It is a city in many respects.
KING: It is a city within the gates, Wolf. And it is part of the broader community.
It might be an odd time to mention it, but at this time of recession in the country, places that have military installations, a huge economic impact on the surrounding communities. And this is the -- Fort Hood is in Killeen, Texas, and 70,000 people, the population of this base, many of them are overseas right now, their families are left behind. But it is a huge community, and it is not only those who wear the uniform and their families on the base, but to those around who run the dry cleaners and run the gas stations and run the pizza places and the small restaurants where these families go.
And so, communities on post and just around the post perhaps understand the cycle of deployment and the strain of the last eight years and the shock of the past several days better than those of us who don't live in these communities. And so, it is always an honor and -- just, you feel honored to visit, Wolf.
I know you've done it many times in your days when you covered the Pentagon. You feel special to be welcomed in these communities because you understand there are people on this base with 4-year-old children and the father's been away for two of those four years, if not more. You see these faces here now as they reflect, because everyone who was on this post last week knows it could have been them.
I asked two young women, both specialists who were walking in the parking lot earlier, "Do you feel safe on your own post? Are you worried?"
And one of the women said, "I'm worried a little bit but not that much." And the other one just shook her head and didn't want to answer my question.
So this has been a shock to the system here. And as everyone reflects on these 13 fallen heroes, they're having other, in some ways, troubling thoughts as well -- Wolf.
BLITZER: You know, and how things have changed since I was a Pentagon correspondent for CNN back in the early 1990s, John. What you see now is not only fathers who are deployed for six months or a year, or maybe 14 months, leaving their families, young kids and a wife, but now you increasingly see women, mothers, who are deployed for six months or a year, or even 14 months, leaving their children behind. Sometimes both mother and father are deployed at the same time and grandparents or others have to step in and take care of the kids.
Barbara Starr, you've seen this. You've been at the Pentagon. You've been covering the military for a while. You've seen this increasingly unfold.
STARR: Wolf, we were at Fort Hood just a few months ago visiting some troops that were going through the post-deployment traumatic stress counseling program, the mental health program. And one of the young soldiers we met was a young woman in her 20s who had been through an IED attack, who had been injured, who had suffered very post-traumatic stress symptoms. And she was going through the counseling program trying to recover.
She told us bluntly she had contemplated suicide. She's in her 20s. And she had been through this experience and found it very difficult to cope with.
It should be said, the military is at a crossroads right now. Many come back and find the stress of war, the stress of combat causing them serious mental distress. Thousands come back and are able, successfully, to reintegrate into civilian life or continue with their military careers.
The problem for the military right now is all of these are individual experiences, individual cases. There's no real standard. Nobody can say at this point how much combat for any one troop is too much combat -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And as I look at the names of these 13 fallen heroes who will be remembered by the president, the Army chief of staff, and others, today -- indeed, all of us will be remembering them -- what jumps out is the fact that not only men were gunned down last Thursday, but Sergeant Amy Krueger, 467th Combat Stress Control Detachment; Private Francheska Velez, from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division; Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Warman, of the Medical Detachment, the 1,908th Medical Detachment.
Women were gunned down as well. And what is so chilling, Michael Gerson, is these eyewitness accounts that this killer specifically aimed at individuals, men or women, who were wearing the United States military uniform and avoided shooting others who perhaps were wearing civilian clothes. But he went after those who were wearing the uniform.
GERSON: It is disturbing. It's a terrible wound to the entire military, to have this come from within.
You know, we've had two previous presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who often wore their...
BLITZER: Michael, hold on for one second. I just want John King to tell us -- these people we're seeing now, these troops, who are they?
KING: These are the troops, Wolf, that will answer when the roll call is called out. It is tradition at these services.
The sergeant major will call out names, and he will call out names of people who are here. Those troops you see right there will answer "Here." And then he will call out the names of the fallen, and tradition is they will be called three times to give them time to answer.
And it is one of the most moving and solemn moments of this service for each of the victims. Their name will be called out after someone else answers "Here." And you will not hear their name three times. The sergeant major will call, and that is part of the service where you know they are not here.
They cannot answer the roll call. And therefore, the service is for them.
BLITZER: It's called the final roll call. And as you point out, Command Sergeant Major Donald Felt (ph) will be doing that, reading names. Those who are here will be here. Those who have passed, unfortunately, there will be silence.
And that will be, in fact, a very emotional moment near the end of this memorial service, just before the firing of volleys. Three rounds of volleys will be fired to honor these 13 men and women.
I had interrupted Michael Gerson.
You were making the point...
GERSON: I was just commenting that Bill Clinton and George W. Bush often wore their heart on their sleeve. That's not so much Barack Obama's style.
He's a little bit more cerebral, a little more retrained in these circumstances. But I think we do, because of the horrible tragedy we're seeing, need to see a little heart from the president today, to show some emotion in this context. I think he'll do that, but it's not the way that he normally communicates. And it's a contrast to previous presidents.
BLITZER: Yes. It's important that -- I'm sure he will hit all the proper notes, all the right notes. And this is -- for the commander in chief, it doesn't get for emotional than this and more poignant. And I'm sure for the first lady as well.
And we're awaiting them. This memorial service was supposed to begin almost a half an hour or so ago, but the president and first lady have been meeting with family members, consoling them and trying to reassure them. And maybe that is why there is this delay, why it's taking a little longer, if, in fact, that is the reason why this service has been delayed.
It's a good reason, because nothing, right now, Barbara Starr, is more important than consoling and reassuring and comforting those who are in mourning.
STARR: This is what the military does, Wolf. This is why people are saying, today, this is family business for the U.S. military.
When we see the ceremonies, today, I think it's also very much worth remembering one more time, we have seen this in the war zones. We see this when -- in Iraq or Afghanistan, buddies are bidding farewell to someone who might have fallen in a gun battle or an ambush in a remote part of Afghanistan or Iraq where there are no TV cameras, there's no national event planned. Very small, one on one.
A soldier will go up, kneel at the boots, the gun and the helmet of a fellow buddy who has been lost in battle. This is the tradition whether it's one private lost, as we say, in an ambush in a remote combat zone, or a national level event like this today.
So I think that we will see the entire U.S. military watching. And again, as we've talked about, families who have lost their loved ones in the past for which there may not have been a ceremony of such magnitude, but still the very heartfelt feeling within the Army family and within the U.S. military family. BLITZER: And here are some more family members coming in, and some of the wounded. We haven't really pointed out adequately enough, about 30 or 40 military personnel were wounded, and some of them remain in critical condition in the hospital right now. But there we see one soldier on crutches who has come and made it here.
If you see those white ribbons, those are symbolic of family members who have come forward, but you're seeing here a soldier in the middle of your screen with a cane, obviously recovering from wounds. Once again, another wounded soldier with crutches, another soldier with a sling. So these are the soldiers who were wounded during this shooting rampage on Thursday at Fort Hood.
And I'm really, really pleased, John King, that they are coming here to participate in this. They are alive. They're well. Their wounds will be -- will heal and they will resume their lives. But they're here to pay their respects to their comrades.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, Wolf, as we watch them and pay tribute to them as they flow in, the president's schedule did call for him to meet first with the families of the fallen and then the wounded. And so, to see them come out, we knew he was running a tad late in those meetings. And to see now the wounded soldiers coming out to take their place at the service is a signal to us that while we're running a bit late, we're getting closer to the beginning.
And after the service, I should also note, the president is going to visit the wounded who are still hospitalized. The meeting, obviously in the headquarters, with those who -- you see them on crutches, you see some of them limping, you see a gentleman in a sling there who were wounded but are up and about -- he will also, with the first lady, spend some time with those who are still hospitalized after the service as we wait for the president to come out and for the official ceremonies to begin.
Again, you said it earlier and I will say it again. There are an estimated 15,000 people just behind me here, and it is so quiet and so solemn and somber here. It is -- it is quite remarkable and in its own silent way, incredibly moving.
BLITZER: Here are the names of those 13 -- actually these are the wounded. Here are some of the names of those who were wounded that we are so grateful that they are alive and they survived. As bad as an ordeal, as a massacre as it was, 13 dead, it could have been so much worse.
This gunman had two automatic pistols and unloaded 100 rounds, Barbara Starr. And so, when we say 13 dead and we see these, the names of the wounded, God only knows it could have been a whole lot worse.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, what struck me when these wounded troops came in was they were with their battle buddies. This is another thing that happens in the U.S. military. The wounded always have a battle buddy with them who is there to help them, make sure if they need anything here today -- I guarantee you there is also medical assistance at very close stand by if any of them need anything. They are being helped in by their fellow soldiers. They are getting all of the support.
These -- these troops, wounded at Fort Hood, wounded on the battlefield, it does not matter. They were wounded in service of their country and their fellow troops are there today to help them at every turn, Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes. I believe these are family members of the wounded who have also come to pay their respects and to be as grateful as they are that their loved ones survived this ordeal. Some may be walking with crutches, some may be walking with a cane, others in a wheelchair, others still remain in hospital in critical condition, but they have survived, they are alive and their family members certainly, and their friends grateful for that.
This memorial service for those who are just beginning to -- just tuning in right now, let me reset the scene of what's going on. We're only moments away from the beginning of a memorial service honoring the fallen heroes, 13 fallen heroes who were gunned down brutally by a mass murderer Thursday at Fort Hood in Texas.
The president of the United States and the first lady -- they have come to pay their respects. The president will be speaking as will the Army chief of staff, General George Casey, and Lieutenant General Robert Cone, the commanding general at Fort Hood. They will remember, they will reflect, they will certainly try to reassure the loved ones and try to give some sense to what is clearly a senseless act by one killer who just went on a rampage and we're trying to better appreciate how this could happen in the United States military on a base here at home, not in the war zone, but in the middle of Texas.
And these are not easy questions to answer. Some -- we'll never get answers, Michael Gerson, to some of these questions. It's just one of those things.
MICHAEL GERSON, FMR. BUSH SPEECHWRITER/AUTHOR: Oh, I agree with that. I mean, sometimes, the line between mental disability and political violence is hard to determine. This is not an easy thing because the human mind and human motivations are not -- are not easy. But we do have to remember, as we mentioned earlier, the number of Muslim Americans that serve in our military. But in addition to that, the number of Muslims we serve beside in Afghanistan and Iraq, who are fighting with us for their own freedom in these circumstances.
So, you know, you can't make easy judgments in a tragedy like this, because the human mind is a complex thing.
BLITZER: It's a very complex -- and, you know, I've spoken with wounded personnel, military personnel, who have come home from combat and they've survived. Some in very painful condition, but they did survive. And a constant theme -- and, Barbara Starr, I know you've spoken to them, whether at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital or Bethesda Naval Hospital here in the Washington, D.C. area, where so many of the wounded go through. They -- many of them ask this question: why me? Why did I survive and my brother-in-arms or sister-in-arms died? And, who lives and who dies? These are questions that we don't have answers for, and they ask these questions. It's very often among the most painful ordeals they go through in their recovery.
STARR: It is, Wolf, as you see another young, wounded troop making his way with help of his comrades to this. We hear that so often and, yet, what I often hear when we go talk to the wounded and try and do stories about what has happened to them, the other thing that they've so often say is: I'm just asking the doc when I can go back. I want to go back. I want to be with my buddies. I want to go back to my unit.
There is a sense of comradeship here. When a young soldier fights in battle, in the heat of battle, it is often not for some grand national strategy. It's for his buddy on his left, his buddy on the right, and for everybody in the unit to get home in one piece, safely.
We see in this audience, today, we see flying some of the small unit flags, platoon squads putting up their flags in this audience, so people know they are there. This is what the military is about. The sense of family, comradeship, and that's what was assaulted here and that is what is so tough for these troops here today to deal with, to acknowledge, to respect what has happened to their fellow soldiers and then to find a way to move on.
BLITZER: Which won't be easy by any means.
John King, you're there at Fort Hood. As we look at the faces, the faces of the men and women in the military who have gathered on the greens here at Fort Hood to remember their colleagues, what strikes everyone who looks out at these faces: the diversity of the United States military. Not only men and women, black and white, Latino, Asian -- it really is an amazing tribute to the United States military as we take a closer look at who participates, all volunteers stepping forward, risking their lives to help protect the United States of America.
KING: It is, Wolf, a representation of the remarkable diversity in the military in those gathered and, sadly also, in those we are paying tribute to today. You have young and old, you have black and white, you have men and women, you have Latinos, you have Asians, you have people from all over the country who, by nature of their assignments, are here at Fort Hood, the Army's largest installation, and they are a community.
Are there occasional stresses and strains within the Army as there are across America? Of course, there are. But those who live on these installations will tell you they believe much less so than, say, in the major cities of America or the other communities of America because, as Barbara just noted, their survival often depends on one another or their support structure when their husband or their wife is away for a year or two or more, it depends on one another.
And I made the point earlier about how much visiting these installations has changed in recent years. And that's what you see more than anything, is the depth and the change in the support structure, whether it is those wounded warriors who had a hip replaced or a knee replaced and who want to get back on the battlefield because they feel they have left their buddies down by having to leave and come home and being put back together -- or the spouses who are helping a spouse who has lost his husband or his wife.
I'm going to stop now, Wolf, as the bagpipes begin. I believe we're at the beginning of the official ceremony.
BLITZER: All right. As we begin this official ceremony, we'll get ready to see the president of the United States and the first lady and the Army chief of staff and others walking down those stairs. There we see, I believe, the Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has come to Fort Hood.
So let's listen in as this ceremony begins.
(BAGPIPES PLAYING)
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the playing of our national anthem and remain standing for the invocation given by III Corps chaplain, Chaplain Colonel Mike Lembke.
(NATIONAL ANTHEM)
(INVOCATION)
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the commanding general of III Corps in Fort Hood, Lieutenant General Robert Cone.
LT. GEN. ROBERT CONE, COMMANDING GEN., III CORPS & FT. HOOD: President and Mrs. Obama, Governor Perry, Secretary Gates, General Shinseki, Governor Doyle, members of Congress, Secretary McHugh, Admiral and Mrs. Mullen, General and Mrs. Casey, Sergeant Major of the Army Preston, distinguished visitors from our nation's capital and the state of Texas, soldiers, civilians and most of all, families and friends, thank you for being with us today.
Today, we gather to mourn the loss of 13 American heroes.
Drawn from 11 different states across this nation, they answered the call of service to others. They ranged in age from 19 to 62. Three were women, 10 were men. Among them, they had 19 children and one of them had a child on the way.
They had hobbies that ranged from playing the guitar and drums to snowboarding. Each of them brought joy to their friends and families.
But the biggest trait they had in common was to volunteer to be part of something bigger than themselves, and serve our great nation. In doing so, they became members of our extended Army family. Our hearts and prayers go out to those families who have borne the loss of this terrible tragedy. No words can ever fully address your grief and sadness, but it is important to know that you are not alone. Others share some part of the tremendous sense of loss that you feel.
I want every family member to know our Army family deeply mourns the loss of your loved ones. The Fort Hood community shares your sorrow as we move forward together in the spirit of resiliency.
Fort Hood and Central Texas are home to one of the largest concentrations of soldiers and families in our Army. We have tremendous pride in our soldiers' exceptional character, competence, and commitment. We will never be accustomed to losing one of our own, but we can more easily accept it when it happens on foreign soil against a known enemy.
Fort Hood has lost 545 from its formations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but never did we expect to pay such a high price at home -- a place where soldiers feel secure. Even so, soldiers do what soldiers do best. They take care of each other in time of need.
At the incident scene, there were many acts of courage and bravery. Just by soldiers remembering their training, lives were saved. Were it not for the remarkable abilities, this incident could have been far worse. Some soldiers, many wounded, performed first aid on their battle buddies before worrying about receiving treatment for themselves.
Many had never met prior to that day, but became forever linked by this tragedy. They all came together at a place in time on November 5th, doing their duty for the Army, for their families, and for the American people.
Our soldiers live, work, serve, and fight as teams. The currency of our profession is a bond of trust in a deep sense of caring about each other. The nature of our business demands that we rise above the fear and doubt generated by this horrific event.
In times like these, our Army family and surrounding community pull together in selfless service. There were countless instances of our steadfast Fort Hood and Central Texas community showing its support in the hours that followed this incident.
We will always remember the brave and committed action of the first responders at the crime scene. The medical professionals from our area hospitals treated the wounded with the utmost care and concern. There were donations of food and lodging to families traveling from out of state. The community answered the call when there was a need for blood to help the wounded. These are just a few examples of the generosity of our friends and neighbors.
Nothing can erase our grief over the loss of the loved ones we honor here today, but our commitment to our country, our Army and our families will help us move forward together. From this day on, we must renew our resolve and commitment to our mission. This Army and the fine men and women who are our Army remain to firmly committed to fight and win our nation's wars. They along with the families who love and care for them are determined to provide enduring service to our nation.
As we remember the victims who died here at Fort Hood, may our service be a continuing tribute to each of them.
May God bless you, may God bless our soldiers, families and the United States of America.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the chief of staff of the Army, General George Casey.
GEN. GEORGE CASEY, ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: Good afternoon.
President and Mrs. Obama, Governor Perry, Governor Doyle, Secretary Gates, Secretary Shinseki, many distinguished members of Congress from across the state of Texas and across the country, Secretary to the Army John McHugh, Admiral and Mrs. Mike Mullen, families and friends.
It's a tradition in one of our special operations units to go to the Book of Isaiah when they're eulogizing fallen comrades. Proud of their willingness to accept any challenge for this country, at the funeral they read, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me.'"
This passage conveys a sentiment that applies to every soldier in our Army. It gives voice to a spirit of service that lives in every soldier. It's a spirit we saw in the 13 soldiers who gave their lives here -- men and women who believed in the values and ideals this country stands for and men and women who willingly served those ideals. Newlyweds, single moms, immigrants, teenagers, and 50- somethings -- all bound together by the common desire to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
The violence that led to the deaths of these 13 Americans and the wounding of dozens of others was unimaginable. It was a kick in the gut. The men and women who were killed had more than a century of service to this country. And their loss left 19 children, spouses, parents, and untold loved ones.
What happened this past Thursday will impact the families, the Fort Hood community, and our Army for a long time to come. But the shock and selfishness of the tragedy, with that came the courageous actions of the first responders, the caregivers, the selflessness of fellow soldiers who risked their lives to help one another, the calm leadership of the command, and the overwhelming outpouring support from the community. These responses in the aftermath of tragedy have been uplifting, if not heroic.
That we saw countless examples for our warrior ethos in action last week is a great source of pride. Our soldiers and Army civilians lived the warrior ethos that day just as our soldiers and civilians live it every day in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world. "I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. And I will never leave a fallen comrade."
Our ethos and values are woven into the very fabric of our Army. Our soldiers are cut from the cloth of this great country -- a country they love and serve in a time of war.
We all serve at a time when the stakes for our country and our way of life are high. Yet, in every generation when faced with difficult challenges, Americans have risen to the occasion. Today, our soldiers answer the call to serve with the same pride and professionalism that has marked the United States Army service for the past 234 years.
Yes, our soldiers, civilians, and their families carry a heavy burden in this war, yet they're willingness to sacrifice to preserve our way of life and to build a better future for others is a great strength of this nation. They, as do the 13 soldiers that were honor today, epitomize the best of America. The Army and Fort Hood are no strangers to pain and tragedy and loss. As many of us know personally and all too well, that's been the case for the last eight years. We are an Army that has drawn strength from that adversity.
So, as we grieve as an Army family, as we wrap our arms around the families of our fallen comrades, I would say to you all: grieve with us. Don't grieve for us. Those who have fallen did so in the service of their country. They freely answered the call to serve and they gave their lives for something that they loved and believed in.
I'm extremely proud of the competence, the courage, and the commitment of our soldiers, families, civilians, and veterans. And I am convinced more than ever that when faced with the question, "Who will go for us?" They will answer to a person, "Here am I. Send me."
Thank you very much. And God bless the families of the fallen and the men and women of our armed forces.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the Fort Hood community, to Admiral Mullen, General Casey, General Cone, Secretary McHugh, Secretary Gates, most importantly, to family, friends, and members of our armed forces.
We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost. With gratitude for the lives that they led and with the determination to honor them through the work we carry on.
This is a time of war, and these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here on American soil, in the heart of this great state, in the heart of this great American community. This is the fact that makes the tragedy even more painful, even more incomprehensible.
For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that's been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers.
But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security and the freedom that we all too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town, every dawn that a flag is unfurled, every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that is their legacy. Neither this country nor the values upon which we were founded could exist without men and women like these 13 Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill had served in the National Guard and worked as a physician's assistant for decades, a husband and father of three. He was so committed to his patients that on the day he died he was back at work just weeks after having had a heart attack.
Major Libardo Eduardo Caraveo spoke little English we he came to America as a teenager but he put himself through college, earned a PhD and was helping combat units cope with the stress of deployment. He's survived by his wife, sons and stepdaughters.
Staff Sergeant Justin Decrow joined the Army right after high school, married his high school sweetheart and had served as a light- wheeled mechanic and satellite communications operator. He was known as the optimist, a mentor, and a loving husband and father.
After retiring from the Army as a major, John Gaffaney cared for society's most vulnerable during two decades as a psychiatric nurse. He spent three years trying to return to active duty in this time of war and he was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a captain. He leaves behind a wife and son.
Specialist Frederick Greene was a Tennessean who wanted to join the Army for a long time and did so in 2008 with the support of his family. As a combat engineer, he was a natural leader and he is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Specialist Jason Hunt was also recently married with three children to care for. He joined the Army after high school. Did a tour in Iraq and it was there that he reenlisted for six more years on his 21st birthday so that he could continue to serve.
Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger was an athlete in high school, joined the Army shortly after 9/11, and had since returned home to speak to students about her experience. When her mother told her she couldn't take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied, "Watch me."
