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What The Army Doesn't Want You Know About The Fort Hood Massacre

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD

    

The worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9-11 happened in Texas. Nov 5 2009 – NidalHasan opens fire at Fort Hood. How did this happen, that an outspoken radicalized madman could do so much deadly damage?  

How were red flags missed? The book Death on Base - The Fort Hood Massacre tell the story that the Army didn’t want revealed. 

Death on Base is an in-depth look at the events surrounding the tragic mass murder and an investigation into the causes and influences that factored into the attack.

The story begins with Hasan's early life in Virginia, continues with his time at Fort Hood, Texas, covers the events of the shooting, and concludes with his trial. The authors analyze Hasan's connections to radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and demonstrate how radical Islam fueled Hasan’s hatred of both the American military and the soldiers he treated.

The authors explore the strange paradox that the shooting at Fort Hood was classified as workplace violence rather than a terrorist act. This classification has major implications for the victims of the shooting who have been denied health benefits and compensation.

The authors spent five years interviewing witnesses, digging into the documents and post attack reports. ANITA BELLES PORTERFIELD is a seasoned journalist who also served as the Director of Emergency Medical Services for the state of Louisiana, which provided her with a technical perspective in critiquing the response to the Fort Hood shooting. JOHN PORTERFIELD has a B.A. in journalism from the Manship School of Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. They both live in Boerne, Texas.

David Martin Davies can be reached at dmdavies@tpr.org and on Twitter at @DavidMartinDavi