The Times

Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: News

At the U.S. Army base Fort Hood, the largest military installation world-wide, an Army psychiatrist set to be shipped overseas opened fire on a Soldier Readiness Center last Thursday, a rampage that killed 13 people and left 31 wounded in what concluded the worst mass shooting ever at a military base in the United States.

The aftermath of the mass shootings left the nation shocked for days. The horrific tragedy was also felt by students and faculty locally at San Jacinto College.

After each sentence, understandably, Craig Rodrigo's voice would pause when speaking of the heinous acts that were recently committed by the American serviceman at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

Private Rodrigo, a 2007 San Jacinto College graduate of Criminal Justice and new enlistee in the Army, is set to deploy to Afghanistan in February.

At San Jac, Rodrigo says he first set out to become a civilian policeman, but soon found it his "call of duty" to be a military policeman or "M.P." His goal is to serve his country and it is omnipresent in his tone of voice.

Rodrigo, 26, was barely holding back his emotions as he echoed his point of view on the national tragedy.

"When I first heard of the shooting rampage at Fort Hood, I first thought oh no, another terrorist attack. But when I realized it was one of our own, I just couldn't fathom such a thing. If anything, you're supposed to die at war, not eating lunch at a center that prepares you for it. I sat on my couch and became fixated at this event unfolding before my eyes." declared the San Jac Alumni.

Rodrigo explains that even though the soldier didn't agree with the war and claimed mistreatment by his peers, it doesn't give him the right to go on a killing rampage at his very own military base.

"A lot of people in the military have emotional problems and need counseling; in this case it was the counselor himself that needed the help. Even though this is true, his actions certainly don't warrant his feelings and reactions.", the soldier passionately stated.

Tuesday, President Barack Obama held a national eulogy for the soldiers and victims of the Fort Hood massacre. "It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy," the president told the crowd of soldiers.

"No faith justifies these murderous and craven acts. No just and loving God looks upon them with favor. For what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice, in this world and the next."

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