At 1934 Zulu, there will be a moment of silence to reflect the carnage of the shootings at Ft. Hood. All military personnel will comply even those overseas.

The Army is sending support personnel to Ft. Hood. This includes 13 Ministry Teams, 35 Life Consultants, 13 Behavioral Therapists, 17 Critical Health Specialists and 5 Combat Control Teams. A muslim cleric is part of the Ministry Team.

A general biography on the shooter will be released later today.

The Army CID is currently heading the investigation but the FBI may take over the investigation.

Commanders of all military installations are looking at there Force Protection Procedures.

The shooter was not confirmed dead or alive for 4 hours yesterday. This was due to the fog and friction of the situation.

The Army will be releasing details of the investigation as they see fit to do so.The Army, Pentagon and other investigative bodies will not be releasing any information until they feel ready. Day to day details of the official investigation will not be given.

The shooter had never been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. He was in a deployment window.

An Army ballistics team is currently at Ft. Hood putting together a timeline of the type of weapons used as well as when and where.

Iraqi security forces have undertaken a broad self-assessment in the wake of series of deadly attacks in the Iraqi capital last month, a U.S. commander there said today.
A wave of truck bombings in Baghdad killed at least 100 people and injured more than 500 others in the deadly August 19th assault that exposed a lapse in security, according to U.S. defense officials. 
With the current tight economy, consensus exists among officials in the Pentagon, Congress and the White House, “to try to address some of these acquisition issues that have built up cumulatively over a large number of years” said Secretary Gates.
The new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is an all-purpose aircraft that makes financial sense, Gates said. The F-35 will be used by the Air Force, the Marines Corps and the Navy. Once in production, he said, the F-35’s unit price will be at less than half the cost of the F-22 Raptor fighter that is being tabbed for exclusive use by the U.S Air Force. 
The Defense Department is slated to purchase 187 F-22s, which Gates called “a great airplane.” But finite defense resources compelled the Pentagon to favor the F-35, he said.

Major General John Kelly, Head of Multinational Forces West talks about progress in Anbar.
General Kelly spoke about several updates that are significant to the citizens of Anbar province and to U.S. military personal. (more…)

At a joint briefing with the Secretary of Defense, Minister of Defense Lee Song-hee says (through a translator) that Kim Jong-il is probably enjoying all the attention he’s getting, but it’s true that his health has significant implications, and the United States and Korea are monitoring the situation. They determine that he most likely has control of his administration, he says, and the Korean and United States will do its best to monitor the situation in a stable manner. We will coordinate our responses together as well. (0:56)

 

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At a joint briefing with the Minister of Defense- Korea, held at the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says the United States reaffirmed its commitment to Korea, including an extention of its “nuclear umbrella.” He says they urge a swift resolution to the issue in North Korea using the six party talks. (0:52)

 

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The North Korean threat continues to be in our defense posture, said Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the joint briefing with Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Lee Song-hee held at the Pentagon. A conducive effort in our defensive posturing to the security of the South Korean’s is alive and well, said Gates, and the six party talk process is binding our two countries together. Gates thanked the Korean people for their effort in helping the United States eradicate militants in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Through an interpreter, Lee said that the 40 year anniversary of the Status of Forces Agreement is still considered a central foundation of their commitment to the defense of the Korean peninsula. The reaffirmation of this agreement sets a tone for the United States’ unwavering commitment to the safety of South Korea, said Lee. According to Lee, the conclusion by high ranking military officers during a meeting with himself and the Secretary of Defense, the Korean Peninsula is very well protected.

The health of Kim Jong-il is still a variable that is being closely watched by the leaders of both countries. Kim Jong-il is believed to still be in control of North Korea even though he has not been seen in public in some time. The unknown element of Jong-il’s health has brought an even greater understanding between the countries: the US and South Korea must coordinate and manage their combined forces in a much more stable manner.