Fort Hood victims remembered a year later

FORT HOOD, Texas — Parents, spouses and children reverently approached the 6-foot-tall granite memorial Friday, some kneeling and wiping away tears as they gently touched a name etched on the stone — each belonging to one of the 13 people killed in the Fort Hood shooting rampage a year ago.

Many families of the 12 soldiers and one civilian who died Nov. 5, 2009, met for the first time at the anniversary memorial, hugging and weeping together.

A Utah soldier, Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, was among those killed in the shootings.

"I wanted to come down here and see the place where she died and get a better understanding of what happened, and I think that's helped," said Philip Warman, of Havre De Grace, Md., who had never before been to the Texas Army post where his wife, Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, was killed as she prepared for deployment to Iraq.

"It's been very difficult, and has taken the better part of last year to back to functioning," he said.

Leila Hunt Willingham of McKinney called the memorial a good way to honor her brother and others who lost their lives that day. On Friday, she gently placed a 1987 penny — from the year her brother, Spc. Jason Dean "J.D." Hunt, was born — on the memorial.

"He was incredibly selfless from the moment he was born. He was always giving gifts, and obviously he gave the ultimate gift last year," Hunt Willingham said, her eyes welling with tears.

Later Friday, more than 1,000 soldiers, victims' families and others gathered for a memorial ceremony that included a moment of silence and the playing of taps.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told the crowd that during the past year, he visited two units that each had lost several soldiers in the shootings before they deployed. He said the units were an inspiration — as were soldiers such as Staff Sgt. Patrick Zeigler, who nearly died after being shot four times but learned to walk again and continues physical therapy.

Casey said those who died were bound by a spirit of service.

"We will never forget," he said.

Earlier Friday, Casey and Army Secretary John McHugh presented awards to more than 50 soldiers and civilians whose actions "went above and beyond the call of duty." Capt. John Gaffaney, who was fatally shot after he threw a chair at the gunman, received an award posthumously.