"We're family" - Texas town rallies after tragedy (News Feature)

By Anne K Walters Nov 8, 2009, 0:22 GMT

Killeen, Texas - Thirteen white crosses stand on the lawn of a church in Killeen, Texas, just outside the gates of Fort Hood, where days earlier a lone gunman opened fire on soldiers preparing to deploy overseas.

Thirty flags surround the crosses in honour of the wounded.

In the town of 117,000 adjacent to the largest US military installation, signs of the Army are everywhere - from the flags flying at half staff to the tailors offering uniform alterations.

'We feel like we're family,' said Rose Davis, 51, a civilian who works at the base child-care centre. 'We're here for the military, and they are here for the staff and others.'

The close-knit community has been strained in recent years by repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, but the post has always been a refuge for soldiers to return to after time overseas. That safety was shattered Thursday when an Army psychiatrist went on a shooting spree in a room full of soldiers preparing to deploy, killing 13 people and wounding 30.

Thursday started out as just an ordinary day, but became a horror people in Killeen would never forget when Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly opened fire with two handguns. He remains hospitalized.

The tragedy coupled with the recent wars has strengthened the feelings of the local community, where local radio stations are raising money for victims' families and offers of support have been pouring in.

At a local diner on Saturday, long-time locals sit at tables next to soldiers in uniform, sipping coffee and eating pancakes. That interdependent community has closed ranks in the wake of tragedy - hosting prayer services and donating blood. On Friday night, the local high school football game - a nearly religious tradition in central Texas - was interrupted for a moment of silence.

'They care more about the GIs than they used to. They worry about them more,' said James Owen, 62, who works installing and repairing air conditioning and refrigeration units.

Texas Governor Rick Perry spoke of the 'unique connection between the military and these communities' as he addressed reporters outside the civilian hospital where many of the wounded were being treated.

Amie Ennis teaches school on the post and recalled over breakfast how the school was placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon.

Her middle school students were in the process of being dismissed for the day when the shooting occurred and were quickly herded back into classrooms. The doors were locked, and students huddled on the floor for hours. She did not leave the school until after 9 pm, nearly eight hours after the attack, while administrators were forced to improvise a dinner of milk and cereal for the students.

Her husband, Mike, also a teacher, notes how the military has become such an ordinary part of life in Killeen.

'It seemed odd when we first moved here (to see uniformed soldiers around town), and now we don't even think about it,' he said.

A Korean woman who is married to a retired Army officer heard the news from friends and family from other states and Korea, who called to make sure she was okay.

Like many others, she watched the scene unfold on television and wondered how such a thing could happen in the supposed security of a military installation.

'We're shocked because this is the biggest Army base in the world. How could that happen?' asked the woman, who did not want to identify herself. 'It's really sad.'

After the initial shock subsided, questions began about what could have been done to stop the shocking killings.

While searching for bargains at a local yard sale, Davis, the base child-care worker, said she thinks a lot will change in the wake of the crime. She expects tighter security checks entering posts and renewed background checks, even of current employees.

'Now you don't know,' she said, 'who or what to trust.'