National Guard Bureau

Story by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill

ARLINGTON, Va. – Fort Hood was uppermost in the minds of National Guardsmen Nov. 6, especially with an Alabama Citizen-Soldier reportedly among the wounded after a deadly shooting rampage there.

"The thoughts and prayers of the National Guard are with Fort Hood Soldiers, their families and the local community today," Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a Tweet. NGB held a moment of remembrance at noon Nov. 6.

Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is believed to be the lone shooter of some 43 people on Fort Hood, Texas, according to the American Forces Press Service. At least 12 people were dead and 31 were wounded, AFPS reported.

About 2,000 National Guard Soldiers from six states are currently stationed at Fort Hood, according to National Guard Bureau officials.

One, from Alabama, was wounded in the Nov. 5 shootings, according to the Birmingham News. Fort Hood public affairs was unable to confirm this information.

"Our hearts go out to everyone there at Fort Hood and to the families," said Army Lt. Col. Cynthia Bachus, public affairs officer for the Alabama National Guard. "Our concerns are with them. Our sympathies are with them."

About 350 Alabama Guard members from the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command arrived at Fort Hood on Monday, where they were preparing for a deployment to Afghanistan, according to NGB and Alabama National Guard officials.

"We are in constant contact with the chain of command to ensure that our Soldiers' wellbeing is taken care of," Bachus said. "Any type of support that we can offer the families back here, we are offering them."

Alabama residents rallied to support their mobilized troops, Bachus said. "We have a lot of good support," she said. "The citizens of Alabama support the National Guard and all the military."

Other states with Guardmembers at Fort Hood included Arizona, Michigan, Nebraska, New York and Texas, according to NGB officials. Numbers ranged from an individual augmentee from New York – a single Soldier on his way to join another unit in theater – to hundreds of deploying Soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard.

The Army Times reported a flood of support through social media as the Nov. 5 tragedy unfolded.

McKinley expressed his condolences through Twitter, as did Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, among many other leaders, service members and civilians.

Mrs. Mullen said in her Tweet that it was difficult for her to express how very sad she is at the "senseless" shooting and that she is praying for the victims, their families and their friends.

Individual National Guard states used Twitter and Facebook to provide updates on the status of their Soldiers and offer condolences.

"Two Oregon Natl Guardsmen at Ft Hood are safe," OregonGuard said in a tweet. "Our prayers go out to all affected by this tragedy."

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