Local Soldiers Speak Out About Fort Hood Rampage


>>At any given time Fort Hood can be home to 30,000 people. We did speak with to two who once called the military base home.
>>RANDI: It was all just a matter of time.
>>REPORTER: That's 24 year old Stroudsburg native Randi Smiths reaction to the shooting tragedy at Fort Hood. A place she knows well after being stationed there for 8 months in 2008.
>>RANDI: There is a very high stress tension level on the post its self.
>>REPORTER: For a soldier Fort Hood is one of the first stops in heading to war or returning home from combat. Police say the gunman was a soldier who worked in the mental health field..and was about to be deployed. Although officials are not giving a motive.. Smith thinks the pressures of the job coupled with an impending deployment pushed the soldier over the edge.
>>RANDI: He probably got freaked out by all the stories that he had to sit in on and listen to from other soldiers.
>>REPORTER: 69 News has received several calls from people who have friends and loved ones stationed at Fort Hood. Including not only Smith but Donald Colfax of Bethlehem Township who was stationed at Fort Hood for more than 3 years.
>>COLFAX: To be honest I'm pretty worried about some of my friends because I still have a lot of friends there that I served with in Iraq and we've been through hell together and in a way I wish I was there with my guys, you know?
>>REPORTER: The military has not yet released the names of the victims. Or a motive for the killings.
>> Fort Hood does operate several programs to help soldiers assimilate to life after combat. The program's lasts 3 weeks and includes counseling and treatment.
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