VANCOUVER, Wash. - Tom O'Neal says Fort Hood is an excellent base for helicopter training. The former pilot has been stationed at Fort Hood several times. Thursday, his eyes were glued to the his television as he watched the tragedy unfold.
"Military bases provide a sense of security," said O'Neal. "It's hard enough to lose a fellow officer in conflict, let alone at home."
The shooting really hits home.
O'Neal's son is set to deploy to Iraq next in December. He will stop in Texas first.
"He is deploying for Texas next week," O'Neal said. "Right after Christmas he's going to Iraq so the first thing I thought was, 'Wow, that could have been my son.'"
O'Neal's son will not stop in Fort Hood, but he is stationed close enough to cause concern. O'Neal says he plans to reach out to others who have been affected by the shootings.
