November 20, 2009
Boise, Idaho
Gowen Field pauses to honor Fort Hood victims
By Scott Logan
BOISE -- Military, friends and families observed a moment of silence at Fort Hood, Texas, and other U.S. military bases worldwide Friday as a show of respect for the victims of the shooting rampage.
Members of the Idaho National Guard observed the moment of silence at their duty stations at Gowen Field. Mountain Home Air Force Base also paused in respect. "It strikes me right now, with the nature of Fort Hood, the nature of this event, it's going to have ramifications nationwide, touching families in every state," said Idaho National Guard Col. Robert Lytle, who has been to Fort Hood many times. The American flag flew at half staff at the VA medical center in Boise where post traumatic stress expert Dr. Blake Dudley declined to speculate on what may have caused the alleged shooter, Maj. Nidal Hasan, an army psychiatrist to snap. But he says as troops endure increased hardships in the long war, there are warning signs a breaking point may be near. "Nervousness, sleep problems, anger, concentration difficulties," said Dr. Dudley. "And a thing called dissociation, where they just drift away mentally." Dr. Dudley says the VA and the military are acutely aware of the unprecedented mental strain facing members of the armed forces right now. "Early studies indicate a third of the troops coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan face post traumatic stress problems," he said. We're rising to that challenge, I think we're doing a great job." And Dr. Dudley says there are 4,500 more mental health workers in the VA system than four years ago. As the war grinds on, they have their work cut out for them. |
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