On Tuesday, the Army announced that 14 officers and soldiers were either suspended or fired at Fort Hood in Texas. The move follows a comprehensive investigation that began after the murder of a soldier and several other deaths at the base this year.
According to the Associated Press, sweeping policy changes were ordered to address ongoing leadership failures contributing to widespread violence, sexual assault, and harassment.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said the issues at the base are attributed “directly related to leadership failures.” He ordered a probe into staffing and procedures at Fort Hood’s Criminal Investigation Unit, responsible for investigating crimes on the base.
An Army official told CNN that the move is one of the service’s most radical disciplinary actions ever taken. The military’s investigation is still ongoing, and further action could be taken against more officers.
According to the AP, the firings include Army Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, who has been in charge of the base since Guillen was killed, Col. Ralph Overland, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment commander, and his Command Sgt. Maj. Bradley Knapp. Some of those suspended include Maj. Gen. Jeffery Broadwater, the 1st Cavalry Division commander, and his Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas C. Kenny. Lower-ranking soldiers who may face discipline were not named.
The investigation was ordered after the bludgeoning death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier whose remains were found in June, months after she disappeared. The main suspect in Guillen’s case, fellow soldier Spc. Aaron David Robinson killed himself on July 1 after being questioned by police.
Guillen’s murder “shocked our conscience and brought attention to deeper problems,” McCarthy said.
This year has been particularly difficult for Fort Hood. The base saw at least 25 soldiers die due to suicide, homicide, or accidents.
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