Source: CNN

Fort Hood is a United States Army post located outside of Killee Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood.

Known primarily for being the home of the 1st Cavalry Division, one of the most famous and most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army, is now also the site of one of the worst mass shootings on a domestic military base, in recent history.

Thirteen people are dead. Thirty One additional people were reported wounded during the shooting Thursday, 11/5/09, afternoon in a soldier-processing center at Fort Hood,

The gunman was wounded in the incident and is in custody and said to be in 'stable condition.' He is also identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, a psychiatrist that was currently practicing at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. Maj. Hasan was recently scheduled to be deployed to Iraq.

President Obama had a press meeting shortly after news of the shooting came out and called the shooting 'Horrific'. He also asked America to 'keep the soldiers and family's of Fort Hood in their thoughts and prayers.'

As a former war time soldier, I can testify that the stress and pressure of being in the military during a time of war is real and in some cases overpowering.

Normally, it is seen in PTSD. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) This is generally attributed to troops who 'return' from a combat situation, yet have trouble conforming to 'normal' life. In a sense, they bring the war home with them in their mind.

Less discussed, is what I call, PWF (Pre War Fear) This is the fear of going to war. It is a fear most, if not all, troops face prior to being sent into a 'war zone'.

This is by no means intended to diagnoses Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, or to justify any actions that he took. The shootings at Fort Hood are indefensible, and as the President said, 'Horrific'. But, from my own life experiences, I have found that PWF can drive some troops to do things that they would not normally do.

When faced with the very real idea of being sent to a place from which you may not return, all sorts of ideas run through your head on how to get out of 'it'. Most soldiers do not sign-up with the desire to 'go to war'. And then, when it comes time to 'do your duty' the realization that your going to be sent to war hits you, and it hits some harder than others.

After finding out that my unit was to be deployed, one of my fellow troops went to the PX (military shopping center) and started to perform some blatant 'five finger discounting'. Shoplifting with the intent of being caught.

He knew that he could not be sent to war if he was in jail. He also knew that he would receive an article 15 and a dishonorable discharge. For the most part, this means that he would be sent home with a bad mark on his record. I guess he figured that this would be better than being sent home with a tag on his toe.

This troop was not the type of troop to cause trouble. He wasn't the shoplifting type. He did his job, kept his nose clean and probably would have continued to do so if he wasn't called to go to war.

This does not compare to what took place in Fort Hood, nor is it meant to. Odds are it has nothing to do with the Fort Hood shootings at all. I bring it up because I know the fear of being deployed to war. I also know that when faced with such a situation, it is not always easy to keep your wits about you.

I tell you this because I want you to know a little bit about what these troops go through for you. It is not just the work, or the combat, or being away from family, home, and friends. It is overcoming fears, mental anguish, depression, and loss.

These troops, in some cases, go through a living hell for you, and it would be the least you can do, to do as the President asks, 'Keep the families and soldiers of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers.'  Those that we lost a Fort hood, and those who serve and sacrifice for us every day, deserve nothing less.

Thank you, and may God bless our troops.