Killeen reaches out to Ft. Hood

KILLEEN, Texas (KXAN) - Residents in the community surrounded by Ft. Hood know it will take a long time to clean up this week’s sorrowful mess.

“I think it’s awful because they’re going to Iraq getting killed,” said Annie Perry, “then to get killed in your own neighborhood where you’re supposed to be safe at.”

Perry has lived in Killeen for 42 years. The wife of a military man, she is now mourning the loss of people she never knew.

“You realize how short life is really,” she said. “You don’t realize you could walk out your door today and not even come back home.”

Up the road from her house, VFW Post #9191 tried to put some semblance of a Saturday together. Football and beer do a lot, but they didn’t want to forget the families still grieving.

“Eventually, the way things have been happening over the years,” said Douglas Ashford, “it seem like this sort of thing is going to happen on this side of the water.”

In the days to come, these vets hope those struggling lean on them, knowing their service and support is available.

“We are praying for them,” said Elvis Irby. “We sympathize with them. We are here to support and aid them in any way we can.”

In a town made up mostly of active and retired military and their families, most can say they have a tie to those directly affected by the shootings. They’re in every school and every church congregation.

“We’re just supporting them through prayer,” said David Miller, Central Christian Church member. “We’re just encouraging them to hang in there.”