Military Gunman Kills 12 at Fort Hood

FORT HOOD, Texas -- Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan has been identified as the gunman who shot and killed 12 military personnel and civilian police officer today at Fort Hood.

Civilian police shot and wounded Hasan, who reportedly was upset about leaving for another deployment to Iraq. The shooting occurred at the soldier readiness facility as personnel were preparing for deployment.

Details of the tragic loss of life at the largest military installation in the U.S. has been breaking news since the shooting occurred just after midday. At least 31 people also were wounded.

The Army base was put on lock down following the shooting, which occurred about 1:30 p.m., just prior to a graduation ceremony.

Fort Hood is home to the First Army Division West.

Fort Hood is a United States Army post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about 60 miles (100 km) from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The main cantonment of Fort Hood is a census-designated place(CDP) in Bell County, Texas that as of the 2000 U.S. Census had a total population of 33,711. Some portions of the base lie in Coryell County. -- www.wikipedia.org

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Chance Anniversay on Nov. 6

Spc. James A. Chance III is remembered as the first fatality for the Mississippi National Guard during the war with Iraq.

Chance was killed Nov. 6, 2003, by a land mine near the Syrian border.

Funeral services were held Nov. 15 at the Kokomo United Methodist Church.

Oneto-Sikorski -- Fourth Year Memorial

BAY ST. LOUIS -- While the end of October is party time for most Americans, unfortunately many people know the pain of tragedy that comes with traditional holidays.

While American military personnel usually have their own version of the celebrations, danger in Iraq and Afghanistan, like untimely violence and death at home, does not take off on holidays.

So was the case Oct. 31, 2005, when 1st Lt. Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski was killed in Iraq during a combat mission. He was leader of the Army's 155th Infantry Battalion.

He was a 33-year-old native of Bay St. Louis.

During May, Oneto-Sikorski was the first soldier added to a Veterans Memorial Garden built by students on school grounds at Bay High. His name is etched into a brick of the memorial that honors fallen military personnel.

The students held dedication ceremonies May 22, 2009.