The US House Committee on Oversight and Reform announced in a press release Tuesday that it is opening an investigation into Fort Hood Army Base following multiple soldier deaths and reports of sexual assault. Rep. Stephen Lynch, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, and Rep. Jackie Speier, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Armed Services’ Subcommittee on Military Personnel, sent a letter to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy informing him of the launch of the investigation and to request documents and information.
“While the Army has directed an independent review of Fort Hood, Congressional oversight is necessary to determine whether base leadership—by omission or commission— has allowed or enabled a culture to exist that undermines the values and traditions of the U.S. Army,” the Chairs wrote.
The subcommittees stated they will be jointly investigating “whether an alarming pattern of recent tragedies at Fort Hood, Texas, may be symptomatic of underlying leadership, discipline, and morale deficiencies throughout the chain-of-command.” The letter demands documents and information, including all relevant medical and administrative documents, Fort Hood communications, detailed timelines, investigative records, Fort Hood policies and standards, reports, data, surveys, and policies, directives, guidance, and standards for handling allegations of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse.
The investigation comes after numerous tragedies at Fort Hood, dating back to 2014. According to the Army, there were an average of 129 felonies committed annually at Fort Hood from 2014-2019. These felonies include robbery, sexual assault and homicide. In the letter, McCarthy was quoted as saying during a visit to Fort Hood that “the numbers are high here. They are the highest, the most cases for sexual assault and harassment murders for our entire formation of the US Army.”
Mentioned in the letter are Specialist Vanessa Guillen, Private Mejhor Morta and Sergeant Elder Fernandes, who were all found deceased after going missing from Fort Hood. Both Guillen and Fernandes were allegedly sexually harassed or abused prior to their deaths. Another soldier, Private Gregory Wedel-Morales, was found deceased after having been missing from Fort Hood for nearly a year. The deaths of Private First Class Brandon Scott Rosecrans, Specialist Freddy Delacruz Jr., and Specialist Shelby Tyler Jones are all being investigated as homicides.
“As Members of Congress, it is our solemn responsibility to provide a full accounting of the conditions and circumstances that may have contributed to the recent disappearances and deaths of U.S. Army personnel at Fort Hood.” the letter stated. “Where appropriate, we intend to seek justice on behalf of those in uniform, and their families, who may have been failed by a military system and culture that was ultimately responsible for their care and protection.”
