Nov 5th 2009-Fort Hood Shooting

Nov 5th, 2009 is another day to remember for me. We were just finishing up our work Thanksgiving dinner clean up when I noticed a bunch of commotion in the hallway. I asked they guy that was passing me what was going on and he stated they were locking down the III Corp HQ’s. I went to my boss and informed her of what I was told and asked her to please find out what was wrong. Locking down buildings is a HUGE deal on a military base and never is good. A few minutes later my boss comes back and gathers all of us and informs us of a shooting on post and it was still going on. At that very moment I think of 9/11 and Oct 16, 1991 (Luby’s mass shooting-23 dead 20 Injured when he drove his truck into Luby’s and started shooting people) . As time when on there were so many uncertain reports that you were not sure what to believe. The news took over the TV’s and radios. It was hard to listen to what was going on yet I found myself glued to the TV and radio trying to make sense of all this crap. How could someone do this on our military installation? At this point I start texting family just in case it became worldwide news…..and it did. Phones were down and internet worked off and on. I would get text messages 20 at a time when ever my phone would pick up a tower signal. Listening to the sirens going off on post advising us to stay indoors and away from windows was so surreal. 3 hours later at 7:30…we were allowed to leave. It took me an hour and 15 mins to get to the daycare where Emily was. The drive is only 15 mins. Once I got her it took me another hour to get home. Bob called about midnight to check in with us. With the time difference and his day off, he was not aware of what was going on back here. I can only imagine what it was like for him to find out what was going on back here where you think your family is safe.
I woke up the next day to more news feeds about everything that had just happened. Then I noticed the building I work in is on TV. That means the General allowed the media to come on post and set up shop on the parade field in front of our building. And then it begins……the media frenzy, just like when the Luby’s shooting happened. I dropped Emily off at daycare and there were armed soldiers posted at the entry way of the daycare. As I drove to work, I noticed armed soldiers posted in various locations throughout post. When I got to my building and came around the corner…there it was…a sea of media trucks everywhere. I went to work to check on payroll guidance for our employees since we are to do timecards today and what codes we had to input for our extended day at work. I left and slept the rest of the day b/c of a horrible migraine. I had to turn off my Twitter updates b/c the local newspaper was updating Twitter every 30 mins. Good to know but an enoying sound when you have a migraine like I did. what a crazy 48 hours...thoughts and prayers to the families of the fallen and wounded.