First Responders to Pulse Searching For Healing

Pulse survivors share memories, messages
USA TODAY , KHOU
Rick Jervis
June 09, 2017

“I don’t care how rich or important you are, when you have a problem, you’re going to dial those three little numbers. But when we need the help, who do we call?” Omar Delgado

More than anything else, Omar Delgado remembers the phones. Dozens of them, he said, ringing incessantly and spinning in pools of their owners’ blood, the only sound in an otherwise quiet nightclub.

Delgado, 45, an Eatonville Police officer, was one of the first responders to the June 12, 2016, Pulse nightclub shooting. As he entered the club through a patio door that night, he saw bleeding and bullet-torn bodies strewn across the dance floor, many of them slumped on top of one another, their phones ringing next to them.

“I knew it was a loved one trying to reach that person and they were never ever going to pick up that phone again,” Delgado said in an interview with USA TODAY. “It was horrific.”

A year ago Monday, gunman Omar Mateen opened fire inside Pulse, a popular LGBT club in Orlando, with a semi-automatic rifle and a 9mm Glock pistol, killing 49 patrons and injuring 53 others in one of the deadliest shooting sprees in U.S. history. Mateen was shot and killed by police after a three-hour standoff.
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When Will Fort Hood Families Receive Justice?

Lawyer for 2009 Fort Hood shooting victims seeks resumption of long-delayed civil case
Army Times
Kevin Lilley
June 18, 2016

Nearly seven years after an Army major’s shooting rampage left 13 dead and dozens wounded at Fort Hood, Texas, lawyers for about 130 of the victims and family members have asked a federal judge to lift a stay in their civil case against the service and other defendants.

While many of those killed or injured received Purple Heart Medals (and the financial benefits that accompany those awards) in 2015, Reed Rubinstein, one of the lawyers on the case, said the Army and other defendants – including the FBI – have yet to pay in full the debt owed to the victims.

“Nothing, nothing is going to happen on this case, if the government has its way, until well into 2017,” said Rubinstein, who first filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in November 2012. “Long after the people involved are gone, and presumably … long after everybody will have forgotten about Fort Hood.”

The complaint cites multiple reports on the killings, including a Senate report that outlines Hasan’s statements in support of extremism in the years before the shooting. Lawyers for the victims also point to a 2013 letter from three members of Congress to then-Army Secretary John McHugh, saying the hands-off approach to Hasan despite his statements that seemed to link him to extreme Muslim ideology, and the promotions he received after making them, amounted to “preferential treatment” given because of his Muslim faith.

That treatment, Rubinstein said, ultimately resulted in the Army failing to stop Hasan’s actions.

“It seems like it’s happening over and over again,” Rubinstein said, alluding to the more recent shootings in San Bernardino and Orlando. “These shooters are being identified. It’s not like they’re missed or weren’t discovered. They’re discovered, and somebody makes the determination to let it drop.”

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ORMC Doctor Wore Army Boots Before Sneakers As A Medic

The doctor behind the bloody shoes on Facebook
Orlando Sentinel
Naseem S. Miller Contact Reporter
June 16, 2016

Corsa joined the Army after he finished high school in North Carolina. He spent six years in the Army, where he was a medic. He came back home and got his bachelor's degree in two years and then went to medical school.

A week before the bloody massacre at Pulse nightclub, Dr. Joshua Corsa bought a new pair of shoes from the REI outdoor company.

They were Keens and he liked them because he could put them on quickly – one of those important little details for a senior resident who has to rush around a busy Level I trauma center like Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Little did he know that in a few days those sneakers would become a symbol of all that's good and evil in this world.

It started with a text from an attending physician at the trauma center: possible active shooter and up to three injured with gunshot wounds.

Throughout those years he worked full-time as a firefighter/paramedic.
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Two Disgusting Camp Pendleton Marines Post Threat After Orlando Massacre

Facebook photo of Marine threatens gays?
Camp Pendleton investigating 2 Marines for social media post following Orlando massacre
San Diego Union Tribune
By Jeanette Steele
June 16, 2016 


A social media post that seemingly references Sunday’s mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub has led to an investigation of two Camp Pendleton Marines.

The Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Expeditionary Force announced Thursday that it is looking into a photo posted Wednesday in a Facebook group called Camp MENdleton Resale, which advertises itself as a private forum for male troops and veterans.

The photo, which has since been removed, shows a uniformed Marine corporal pointing a rifle toward the camera. A caption at the bottom says, “Coming to a gay bar near you!”

Based on other features shown on the post, it appears the photo also was sent through the instant messaging program Snapchat. The post has since been shared on several other Facebook pages.

This incident continues a week of questionable or disturbing responses to the massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, where 49 people — most of them gay or lesbian — were killed and more than 50 others were wounded. The death count makes it the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
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OneOrlando Fund Reaches $7 Million

$7 million donated to OneOrlando Fund, mayor says
WFTV ABC News
Updated: Jun 17, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Friday that the OneOrlando Fund had received more than $7 million in donations.

“We're showing the world that we are Orlando United. I'm so proud of the people standing behind me,” said Dyer.

The fund was set up to help people directly affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting, he said.

The outpouring of support from our City partners has already begun:

• Walt Disney Company $1,000,000

• In addition, eligible donations from Disney employees will be matched dollar for dollar by Disney. Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation

• Darden Restaurants $500,000

• The Orlando Magic $100,000

• JetBlue $100,000

• Mears $50,000

• Comcast NBCUniversal $1,000,000

• Tishman Hotel Corporation $25,000

To contribute to the OneOrlando Fund, please visit OneOrlando.org.

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President Obama Feels Pulse of Orlando

I have never been more proud of this city. To see the way people have stepped up to help strangers for no other reason than love, to see businesses set aside profit because of heartache, folks show up standing in line to donate blood and hold a candle to light the darkness, that shows the pulse of this city is beating strong enough to prove that hate will not defeat love.

President Obama meeting with victims’ families, survivors in Orlando
WESH 2 News
UPDATED 3:45 PM EDT Jun 16, 2016

After leaving the Amway Center, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden stopped at the memorial resurrected outside the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center.

Orlando Mayor Buddy dyer shows President Obama a black "Orlando Pride" t shirt with a rainbow heart. AP IMAGE

3:30 p.m.

President Obama’s motorcade left the Amway Center shortly after 3:30 p.m. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden spent a little over two hours meeting with survivors and family members of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

2:30 p.m.
Hundreds of people have gathered outside the Amway Center as President Barack Obama meets with survivors and family members of the victims inside.

1:30 p.m.
President Obama's motorcade arrived at the Amway Center just before 1:30 p.m. He will be meeting with the families of victims and survivors.

Survivors of the mass shooting were brought to the Amway Center Thursday morning.

After meeting with the families and survivors. President Obama and Vice President Biden will be meeting with local law enforcement officials to thank them for their work in response to Sunday's mass shooting.
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Afghanistan Marine Veteran Saved Dozens at Pulse

War veteran saves dozens during Orlando nightclub shooting
CBS NEWS
By Mark Strassmann
June 13, 2016

ORLANDO -- When Omar Mateen opened fire with his military style AR-15 assault rifle on a gay nightclub in Orlando, there was one man who recognized the sound, a war veteran.

Imran Yousuf, a bouncer at the Pulse nightclub, never saw the gunman in the early Sunday morning hours. Right after last call, he was making his rounds, and barely missed coming face-to-face with Mateen.

Yousuf, a 24-year-old Hindu, served as a U.S. Marine in Afghanistan. On Saturday night, the combat zone followed him to Orlando.

He ended up saving dozens of lives.

"The initial one was three or four (shots). That was a shock. Three of four shots go off and you could tell it was a high caliber," he said. "Everyone froze. I'm here in the back and I saw people start pouring into the back hallway, and they just sardine pack everyone."
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Names of Lives Lost in Orlando Released

Remember these names and not the name of the one who caused their deaths.

Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there; I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there; I did not die.

Victims’ Names

City of Orlando

Posted date: June 12, 2016

Updated June 13, 2016 2:40 p.m.

During this difficult time, we offer heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families. Our City is working tirelessly to get as much information out to the families so they can begin the grieving process. Please keep the following individuals in your thoughts and prayers. #PrayforOrlando

The below list of individuals includes victims who have lost their lives during the early morning incident, and next of kin have been contacted. As we continue to reach out to the families of victims, we will continue to update this post.

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old

Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old

Kimberly Morris, 37 years old

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old

Amanda Alvear, 25 years old

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old

Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old

Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old

Cory James Connell, 21 years old

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old

Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24 years old

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old

Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz 24 years old

Orlando Police Officer's Helmet Saved His Life

Orlando Police Credit Kevlar Helmet with Saving Officer's Life
Military.com
by Brendan McGarry
Jun 12, 2016

Orlando police credited this kevlar helmet with saving the life of an officer who responded to the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

(Photo courtesy Orlando Police Department.)

The Orlando Police Department is crediting a Kevlar helmet with saving the life of an officer who responded to the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The department on Sunday posted a picture of the officer's helmet showing damage from being struck by a bullet during the incident. The green paint is chipped, parts of the fabric is torn and there appears to be a small hole.

"Pulse shooting: In hail of gunfire in which suspect was killed, OPD officer was hit. Kevlar helmet saved his life," the department tweeted on its Twitter account.

The make and model of the helmet weren't immediately known.

The officer, who wasn't identified but was presumably a member of the department's SWAT team, suffered an eye injury, Danny Banks, special agent in charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Orlando bureau, told CNN.
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Orlando, Strong Love Showed Up in the City Beautifully

If you want to know what hate does, it did it this morning in Orlando. If you want to know what love does, it began in the seconds after the first shot was fired and continued as more and more people showed up out of love.

We are heart broken but with that pain the healing already began and I just witnessed it at the AMC Theater in Altamonte Springs FL. The Red Cross was there and so were hundreds of people. I only lasted about an hour and a half when I had to give up. It was 95 degrees and my row was in the sun. 

There were not just the people standing there waiting to do what they could to help, but an Army of volunteers handing out water bottles, drinks, snacks, ice drenched paper towels and even fans from a radio station.

We talked about how love showed up by the hundreds after one person decided to kill out of hate. That was beautiful.

It was beautiful in face of that mass murderer still taking lives while strangers stopped to help the wounded. It was love that had one after another do whatever they could to help get a terrified person to safety. It was yet again love as the first responders showed up not knowing what they were heading into but ready to take on anyone trying to kill as many as possible.

While a few haters may rejoice and claim they had something to do with it, fear lost this morning. Love won this day and will continue to show up in response to others who will never know what true love feels like.  

Orlando massacre: Deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history
Police confirm 50 dead, 53 others taken to hospitals
WESH 2 News
Jun 12, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. —Fifty people are dead and at least 50 others were taken to area hospitals after a mass shooting at a downtown Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning, officials have confirmed.

The massacre is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Police said Omar Mateen, 29, was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a handgun when he stormed into the Pulse nightclub off Orange Avenue and Kaley Street about 2 a.m. In a video provided to WESH 2 News, more than 20 shots can be heard.

Officials said more than 300 people were inside the club at the time. "Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running," the club posted on its official Facebook page at 2:09 a.m.
read more here

Disgraceful Neglect of Fort Hood Survivors

Neglecting Fort Hood Survivors Is a National Disgrace
TIME
Kathy Platoni
April 19, 2016

Too many survivors don't have access to the benefits they need

Nearly seven years after the national tragedy of the Fort Hood massacre, little has changed. Despite the unveiling of the magnificent memorial in Killeen, Texas, on March 11 to pay tribute to the wounded and the fallen, this catastrophic event and its victims have been largely forgotten. Thirteen innocents lost their lives and more than 30 were wounded that day, gunned down by a self-proclaimed radical jihadist who advocated for the burnings and beheadings of his fellow soldiers.

Some of the wounded have been obtaining medical treatment on their own dime, desperately trying to restore themselves to health and to find their way back to any degree of normalcy. And then there are the psychological wounds, which often remain unspoken and are often unlikely to ever heal. Joshua Berry, a survivor of the massacre, suffered from post-traumatic stress and committed suicide in 2013. The Army should have done more to help him and others like him.

Kathy Platoni is a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army and a survivor of the Fort Hood massacre.

read more here 

Army's largest base reeling from four apparent suicides in one weekend 2010

Fort Hood Memorial "Sobering Reminder" Of What Was Lost in 2009

Remembering ‘what we lost’ ... Nov. 5, 2009, Fort Hood Memorial dedicated in Killeen
Killeen Daily Herald
Jacob Brooks
Herald staff writer
March 16, 2016

Gabe Wolf | Herald Ft Hood Memorial-4 Ashlee Nemelka and Kevin Harmer visit PFC. Aaron Nemelka's bronze Friday at the Fort Hood Memorial dedication.

KILLEEN — Three small boys, all children or grandchildren of those killed on Nov. 5, 2009, approached the stage as about 800 people quietly watched.

They placed their hands over their hearts and began to speak in unison: “I pledge allegiance to the flag...” The audience quickly joined in, creating a resounding, unifying “Pledge of Allegiance” inside the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Friday.

It was one many emotional, yet also patriotic, moments that marked the long-awaited dedication ceremony of the November 5, 2009, Memorial, which honors the 12 soldiers and 1 civilian who were killed and dozens wounded in the mass shooting that day.

“The memorial itself will always be a sobering reminder of what we lost,” said Maj. Gen. John Uberti, deputy commander for III Corps and Fort Hood.

He was one of several speakers at the nearly three-hour event, which ended with the families of the fallen, the wounded and others visiting the memorial adjacent to the conference center.

The $400,000 memorial — which was paid for through donations and in-kind services — includes a gazebo, 13 statues symbolizing those killed and a flag pole in the center.
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Living in pain: For some wounded on Nov. 5, 2009, fight for benefits continues

Shawn Manning and Alonzo Lunsford Jr. — both former staff sergeants who were shot multiple times by Nidal Hasan — said despite earning the federal Purple Heart medals last April, their struggles with the government’s lack of labeling their wounds as “combat related” remain.

They said the pain they live with is an everyday reminder of what happened.

“I just had surgery last summer to remove a bullet out of my thigh and a bullet out of my back,” said Manning, who in addition to physical pain, also deals with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the shooting. “I still have a bullet in my back,” Lunsford said. “It cant be removed because it’s so close to my spine.” He, too, has complications from lingering pain and PTSD, as well as a traumatic brain injury from a bullet that hit close to one of his eyes.

November 5, 2009 Fort Hood Memorial Opened

Hundreds honor those lost, wounded in Nov. 5 shooting as memorial is dedicated
Killeen Daily Herald
Jacob Brooks
March 11, 2016

"Those killed on Nov. 5, 2009, honored self service above all else. Together we all honor their sacrifice.” Governor Greg Abbott

Sheryll Pearson, mother of fallen soldier PFC. Michael Pearson,

shows his bronze to Maj. Theresa Long during Friday's Fort Hood

Memorial dedication Gabe Wolf Herald Ft Hood Memorial

Soldiers who were shot in one of the bloodiest mass shootings in American history, as well as family members of the fallen, were reunited today, more than six years after the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that left 13 people dead and 31 wounded.

Dozens of families who lost sons, daughters, spouses and other loved ones were in Killeen today for the official dedication of the “November 5, 2009 Fort Hood Memorial,” an outdoor memorial that honors those who were killed and wounded in the shooting.

The $400,000 memorial — which was paid for through donations and in-kind services — includes a gazebo, 13 statues symbolizing those killed and a flag pole in the center.

Former Army Capt. Dorothy Carskadon, who was shot four times by Nidal Hasan in the shooting, said she got into town Thursday night, and had already visited the memorial twice.
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Fort Hood Murderer Got Paid, Wounded Still Waiting

Just a reminder on how much this all really stinks is this NBC reported Hasan was still getting paid in 2013

A military panel also ordered that Hasan be stripped of his military pay. However that order will not take effect until place 14 days following his sentencing. Hasan will continue to receive his full military salary until Sept. 10.

Earlier this year, NBC 5 Investigates was the first to report that the Department of Defense showed Hasan had been paid about $300,000 after his arrest for the Nov. 5, 2009, shooting.

Disgraceful when you consider the wounded are still waiting.

Fort Hood victim still waiting for injuries to be called ‘combat-related,’ despite Army pledge
FOX
By Catherine Herridge, Pamela Browne
Published November 06, 2015

Manning has received combat-related special compensation under the Purple Heart medal which amounts to $700 a month and a lump sum for back pay.

Six years after the Fort Hood massacre killed 13 and injured more than 30 others, at least one of the survivors says he is still fighting to have his gunshot wounds officially classified as "combat-related injuries," despite a pledge from the Army secretary to provide all possible benefits to the families.

"I hope that this can be fixed. I mean it isn't even necessarily about the benefits anymore, it's just, getting this fixed so I can put this behind me," Shawn Manning told Fox News.

Manning was a staff sergeant when he was shot six times by then Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan on Nov. 5, 2009. Two bullets remain lodged in his back and leg. Yet he's still seeking the "combat-related" classification for his injuries from a military physical evaluation board.
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Veteran 75 Years Old Saves Kids At Library From Attacker

Army veteran, 75, saves 16 children from knife attack at public library 
Washington Times
Jessica Chasmar
October 16, 2015

A 75-year-old Army veteran is recovering from stab wounds after saving 16 terrified children from a knife-wielding teen who had reportedly planned a mass murder.

James Vernon was leading a chess club meeting with children at a public library in Morton, Illinois, Tuesday afternoon when Dustin Brown, 19, burst into the room wielding two knives and threatening the children, Fox News reported.

As Mr. Vernon inched closer to Mr. Brown, Mr. Brown started to back up, giving the children room to escape.

“I gave them the cue to get the heck out of there, and, boy, they did that! Quick, like rabbits,” Mr. Vernon said.

Mr. Brown slashed the knife at the Army vet, who blocked the blade with his left hand.

“I grabbed him and threw. … Somehow he wound up on a table” with the knife in his left hand pinned under his body, Mr. Vernon told the Times. “I hit him on the (right) collarbone with my closed hand” until Mr. Brown dropped that knife.
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Mass Shooting At Oregon Umpqua Community College

Oregon shooting: Gunman dead after college rampage
CNN By Dana Ford
Updated 5:34 PM ET, Thu October 1, 2015

(CNN)The man who opened fire at Oregon's Umpqua Community College on Thursday is dead, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin told reporters.

No police officers were injured, but preliminary information indicates 10 people were killed and more than 20 others injured in the shooting, according to Oregon State Police spokesman Bill Fugate.

Officers and the gunman exchanged fire. The shooter was a 20-year-old man, according to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.

"It's been a terrible day," said Hanlin. "At this point, it's a very active scene. It's a very active investigation."
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Staff Sgt. Josh Berry Survived Fort Hood Massacre, Then He Didn't

Then there was Staff Sgt. Josh Berry, wounded when the shooter opened fire inside a crowded medical building at the sprawling Army post in Texas. While he was not one of the 13 soldiers who lost their lives or the 32 others who were struck by bullets, Josh Berry struggled through years of pain and suffering caused by the attack before he couldn't handle it anymore, family members said. The Mason native committed suicide on Feb. 13, 2013.

Father says PTSD killed his son, and VA did nothing to help
WCPO 9 News
Marais Jacon-Duffy, Scott Wegener

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Howard Berry lost his son two years ago.

“He said, ‘your son is in good hands. He’s being monitored. We’re keeping close tabs on him,’” Berry said. “I buried him three months before.”

Staff Sergeant Josh Berry was at Fort Hood Army Base when an armed shooter killed 13 people in 2009. Berry was not killed. He survived the shooting, just like he survived deployment to Afghanistan. But Berry’s toughest battle, his father said, was post-traumatic stress disorder.

Josh Berry committed suicide in February 2013. His family said that PTSD, combined with sub-par care by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was what killed him.

Howard Berry has rallied on behalf of Fort Hood shooting victims, survivors and their families, and voiced general discontent with the VA.

“I’ve been lied to from the White House to the outhouse,” he said. “I’ve had the same questions I had the day my son died. They’ve never been answered.”
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Hasan's Victims Will Finally Get Benefits

Fort Hood attack Purple Heart recipients to get added benefits 
Reuters
April 16, 2015 (Reuters) -

The U.S. Army said on Thursday it will provide additional benefits to the dozens of soldiers awarded Purple Heart medals stemming from a 2009 shooting rampage by an Army psychiatrist at the Fort Hood Army base in central Texas.

The Army also said it would award the Purple Heart medal to a soldier who was killed and another who was wounded in a 2009 attack on a recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Three-dozen Purple Heart medals were awarded last week at Fort Hood to wounded survivors and relatives of those killed in the shooting rampage by then-Army Major Nidal Hasan following years of lobbying by politicians and lawyers. read more here

Soldiers and Families Receive Purple Hearts

Fort Hood Shooting Victims, Families Receive Medals
Department of Defense
By Heather Graham-­Ashley 3rd Corps and Fort Hood
FORT HOOD, Texas
April 11, 2015

Jeffrey and Sheryll Pearson look at the portrait of their son, Army Pfc. Michael Pearson, before the Purple Heart and Defense of Freedom award ceremony on Fort Hood, Texas, April 10, 2015. The event honored the 13 people killed and more than 30 injured in a gunman’s 2009 shooting rampage on the base.
U.S. Army photo by Daniel Cernero

After nearly six years and a legislative wording change, shooting victims from the Nov. 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood were recognized during a Purple Heart and Defense of Freedom medal award ceremony here yesterday.

“Hundreds of lives have been woven together by this single day of valor and loss,” Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, 3rd Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, told the soldiers, civilians and families gathered for the somber occasion.

Victims and family members of the fallen from that tragic day at the ceremony received their medals. MacFarland, joined by Army Secretary John McHugh, presented Purple Hearts and Secretary of Defense Medals for the Defense of Freedom.

Thirteen people were killed in the shooting at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center that day. Another 31 were wounded by gunfire. The gunman was convicted and sentenced to death in September 2013.

“We honor the memories of the 13 souls laid to eternal rest and pay tribute to their sacrifice,” MacFarland said. “We also remember the acts of courage and selflessness by soldiers and civilians which prevented an even greater calamity from occurring that day.”
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Fort Hood: Congress Expanded Eligibility For Purple Heart

Army Approves Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Shooting Victims

From a U.S. Army News Release

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2015 – Army Secretary John M. McHugh announced today that he has approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, to victims of a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, following a change in the medals' eligibility criteria mandated by Congress.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 were wounded in the attack by Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, who was convicted in August 2013, of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.

"The Purple Heart's strict eligibility criteria had prevented us from awarding it to victims of the horrific attack at Fort Hood," McHugh explained. "Now that Congress has changed the criteria, we believe there is sufficient reason to allow these men and women to be awarded and recognized with either the Purple Heart or, in the case of civilians, the Defense of Freedom Medal. It's an appropriate recognition of their service and sacrifice."

Law Expanded Eligibility

Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, Congress expanded the eligibility for the Purple Heart by redefining what should be considered an attack by a "foreign terrorist organization" for purposes of determining eligibility for the Purple Heart. The legislation states that an event should now be considered an attack by a foreign terrorist organization if the perpetrator of the attack "was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack" and "the attack was inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organization."

In a review of the Fort Hood incident and the new provisions of law, the Army determined that there was sufficient evidence to conclude Hasan "was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack," and that his radicalization and subsequent acts could reasonably be considered to have been "inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organization."

Previous criteria required a finding that Hasan had been acting at the direction of a foreign terrorist organization.

Identifying and Notifying Those Now Eligible

McHugh directed Army officials to identify soldiers and civilians now eligible for the awards as soon as possible, and to contact them about presentation of the awards. Soldiers receiving the Purple Heart automatically qualify for combat-related special compensation upon retirement. Recipients also are eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Following his 2013 conviction, Hasan was sentenced to death by a general court-martial. He is incarcerated at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, while post-trial and appellate processes continue.