The Navajo Nation is calling for an investigation into the recent spate of deaths at Fort Hood after two of its members became the latest soldiers to perish at the Army base.
Spc. Miguel Yazzie, 33, died on July 2 and Private Carlton Chee, 25, died September 2, making them the 27th and 28th deaths at the now-notorious outpost in Killeen, Texas this year.
“There have been 28 soldiers who have lost their lives on the base and I’m sure the families want to know what’s going on and happening on the base,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez told Fox10 on Saturday.
“We wanted to get answers,” said Nez.
The death of Yazzie is reportedly under investigation. A probe into Chee’s death is also ongoing.
Army officials say Chee died after he collapsed during a training exercise five days earlier. An autopsy is expected to be performed by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.
“This is just heartbreaking for the family to know that someone that we all believe was in great physical shape collapsed during an exercise and a few days later, dies under the oversight of the federal government,” Nez said of Chee’s death.
Family members feel like the Fort Hood leadership isn’t “giving them the information that they desired,” Nez said.
The Navajo Nation is now joining calls for an accounting of all of the deaths at Fort Hood this year.
“We are deeply disturbed by the string of deaths at Fort Hood, and if there is any malfeasance or negligence involved, the Navajo Nation calls on our national leaders to pursue every available avenue to protect the lives of our Navajo warriors and those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces,” Speaker of the Council Seth Damon said.
Two Congressional subcommittees have already launched investigations into the troubled base.
Last week, the Army announced changes in the leadership at Fort Hood amid what it said was a widening probe into the killing of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, who was allegedly bludgeoned by a fellow soldier after coming forward about being sexually harassed.
With Post wires
