Mother tries to change military protocol after son's death at Fort Hood

It is a tragedy when ever we lose a soldier. My last unit conducted exhaustive searches, including 0300 musters to get people to fan out and look. A couple of those soldiers were classified as high risk in a unit risk inventory. We found them all, were moderately successful in getting all back to military control. Had one go on a heroin bender, LE got him back for us after a week of chasing him in and out of motels. All were AWOL. Searches began at inception: first formation on Monday. Squad leader Goes to his barracks room or apartment. Battle buddies are questioned. All hospitals and jails are checked. All this in the first 3-4 hours. Most of the tough ones to find required us to call parents, and they usually got them to initiate contact with us.

So let's War game This. What if that particular unit dropped everything and looked for this guy and still didn't find him? Would an amber alert have found his vehicle somewhere off road covered in brush? Fort Hood is enormous, not sure a hands across post event is even feasible.

Other factors looking at this from a policy perspective. So what if he wasnt marked as high risk? What if the unit looked everywhere they could think of but still didn't find the guy? What if a soldier died doing something or going somewhere they don't usually do and no one knows where to look? Not saying units shouldn't have a search protocol, but the majority of the time, AWOL's have taken off to flee consequences or are locked down somewhere. If I remember the details of this particular case, he died in the vehicle accident over a weekend. So,his first FTR would have been PT on Monday.

If they are AWOL a warrant for their arrest is issued, so the SM will ping on a NCIC check if they are in contact with LE in any way (conscious, unconscious, or deceased). So marking them AWOL does have a purpose...so that is sort of a Warrior alert.

Should a search be part of policy? I think so, but we have to be prepared for disappointment and place expectations on what is reasonable effort. Searches at off post domicile are limited to exterior visual checks without a civilian LE warrant. States vary on "wellness checks". Hard to find a guy in training area 20 when he has fled the state. When can a unit logically suspend a search? When they have exhausted reasonable means. Should the next of kin be notified? Yes.AWOLs will answer their phone for Mom or Dad. Establishing proof of life contact by the CoC can shift the gears between missing persons and AWOL. Mom and Dad are highly effective in getting wayward Joes to come back to military control and face the music. Something Chaplains participate in when a SM commits suicide is to do a psychological autopsy. A field expedient version at the Company level could be leveraged to find people.

I hope they find out what is gong on out there...
too Many Troops are dyeing at foot Hood of non combat issues...

I absolutely feel for this mother and it is tragic that we lost a Soldier. However, there are larger issues to consider. Some of the points that she listed are procedural internal to the military and those can be looked at. Others though, like wanting bank or phone records without a warrant is not going to happen.