Security Fixes Ordered after Fort Hood Report
In wake of scathing report, DOD will institute new threat protocol, training
April 15, 2010
By Jim Miklaszewski, Chief Pentagon correspondent
MSNBC
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered a partial overhaul of Defense Department safeguards against terror-like attacks after a scathing report found that the department's policies were "unclear" or "inadequate" to prevent the mass shooting that killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in November.
Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan is charged in the shootings that also wounded 31.
Secretary Gates ordered the department to:
Secretary Gates based his recommendations on earlier findings that:
Gates' recommendations came as Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman and ranking member Susan Collins threatened to issue subpoenas to the Defense and Justice Departments on Monday if the Obama administration fails to turn over information the panel needs to conduct its inquiry of the Fort Hood shooting.
"I regret to say our efforts to obtain this information necessary to conduct a thorough investigation of this homeland terrorist act have been met much foot dragging, very limited assistance, and changing reasons why the administration cannot provide us with the information that we have requested," Lieberman said.
Collins accused the administration of "spoon feeding us selected facts rather than giving us information to the data and individuals that we need."
The DOD's January 2010 findings on gaps in the department's safety policies did not address the issue of personal responsibility up and down Hassan's chain of command.
A separate report recommends that a number of individuals who failed to report Hassan's somewhat erratic behavior including commanders and officers at Walter Reed, where Hassan had worked as a staff psychiatrist be relieved of duty or disciplined. But Army officials tell NBC News that report is still sitting on the Army Secrtary's desk while Army lawyers struggle to determine what legal hurdles must be cleared.
NBC's Ken Strickland contributed to this report.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36570279/ns/us_news-security/