A slew of military personnel at the embattled Fort Hood army base are expected to face disciplinary action following the results of a major independent investigation that was sparked after the death of 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen, reports said Monday.
The results of the probe, initiated over the summer, are set to be released by the Army secretary Tuesday and could result in reprimands, re-assignments and a relief of duties for a series of senior Army officers and enlisted personnel, CNN reported, citing two defense officials.
The potentially career-ending disciplinary actions will be announced at news conferences set to take place at the Pentagon and Fort Hood on Tuesday where officials will also unveil a series of reforms, the outlet reported.
The independent review, centered on the base’s leadership, is expected to reveal serious issues about top generals and senior enlisted personnel failing to pay attention to the troops’ welfare and other deep concerns about the base’s culture, the officials told CNN.
The results will also specifically address how sexual assault and sexual harassment cases were handled and how searches for missing soldiers were done, the officials said.
In 2020, at least 31 soldiers assigned to the Texas base died — some of those deaths were accidents but five were homicides and 10 were suicides, the outlet reported.
The most notable was the death of Guillen who was found buried in a shallow grave months after her April disappearance. Investigators later figured out the soldier had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer in the base’s armory by a fellow enlisted officer, who killed himself before he could be arrested.
When the review was originally announced, Army officials said in a statement they were working to “determine whether the command climate and culture at Fort Hood, and the surrounding military community, reflects the Army’s values, including safety, respect, inclusiveness, and a commitment to diversity, and workplaces and communities free from sexual harassment.”
A panel of investigators has been interviewing members of the military, civilians and residents of the local community.






