(Peter Haley/News Tribune) Shawn Manning stands in the kitchen of his home in Lacey, Wash., on Sept. 13. The Fort Hood shooting victim is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the U.S. Army.
I sincerely don't care if the military wants to classify deaths of soldiers as workplace violence, but, it should never cause the victims and/or their surviving family financial hardship.
LACEY, Wash. — Laying in a hospital bed, (click here) hours removed from watching a madman fire six bullets into his body and kill his friends, one might have thought Shawn Manning wouldn’t have to fight again.
The former Army staff sergeant, Idaho State Univeristy graduate and Twin Falls native had given most of his adult life to the military and had been to Iraq twice.
On Nov. 5, 2009, severely wounded, he rose and ran for the exit as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s guns blasted, killing 13 and injuring 32 on Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas, in the worst attack ever on a military installation in the United States....
The military underwent significant changes during the Bush years. First is was the armor, then it was survivors deprived of their benefits, then it was PTSD and it goes on an on including the no bid contracts that saw dead private contractors hanging from bridges, while they killed innocent Iraq citizens from helicopters and Halliburton with profits of something like $35 billion with shoddy work electrocuting soldiers in the shower. The nation has had enough of the mess included in our military.
A veteran is a veteran is a veteran. Unless they have received a metal of honor or other commendations or they were dishonorably discharged, they are veterans. When they are injured they need to be taken care of and when they are dead their survivors need to be compensated and given benefits.
If the country doesn't take care of it's military there won't be a volunteer force anymore.
These soldiers at Fort Hood were deploying out. They were entering a war theater when they were brutally killed for absolutely no reason. As far as I am concerned, when a soldier leaves his or her family and is ready to deploy overseas, they are already at war.
The soldiers suffering from injuries and the survivors, namely wives and/or children need to receive respect regardless of how the military classifies the attack. It is difficult to call Fort Hood a part of a war zone, but, it was and I understand how the military has a difficult time placing this episode anywhere except as workplace violence. But, the way the dead were killed was all part of their deployment. This wasn't a robbery on the base that resulted in deaths or domestic violence. These folks were 'on duty' that is all that is needed to know. I would expect any military personnel 'on duty' regardless of the location when slaughtered by others be considered important enough to compensate and/or care for.
I suggest Mr. Manning write a petition at the White House website and if not Mr. Manning perhaps his attorneys or a family member disenfranchised from their benefits. I am confident obtaining the signatures to get the President's attention will occur and there will finally be a resolve to this problem.
I won't write that petition. I don't feel qualified to do so. But, someone should. I apologize to all those suffering because the military is so rigid and seeking to be thorough in their assessment of the incident. I am sure there needs to be an Executive Order or legislation to be written and passed, but, this needs to be resolved.
This is not new. This has happened many times before and the American people demanded those aggrieved received their compensation. Resolving this now would be a nice way of letting all our veterans and soldiers know they are important. If the military can blow trillions on the F35 which is untrustworthy, they can treat our soldiers right.
