Leaders of Fort Hood review to avoid Hasan queries

[February 04, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Leaders of an internal Pentagon inquiry into the deadly Fort Hood shootings aren't talking about why the accused gunman moved through the military's ranks despite repeated concerns over his performance and behavior.

Former Army Secretary Togo West and retired Navy Adm. Vern Clark were expected to testify Wednesday on Capitol Hill, but they said they won't discuss specifics about Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan in open session "in order to preserve the integrity of the ongoing military justice process," according to their prepared testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

Hasan's supervisors sanitized his performance appraisals in the years prior to the shootings, according to government documents obtained by The Associated Press that reveal concerns about him at almost every stage of his Army education.

Officers in charge of Hasan loaded praise into the alleged gunman's record despite knowing he was chronically late for work, saw few patients, disappeared when he was on call and confronted those around him with his Islamic views.

The materials also disclose concerns that the psychiatrist-in-training might have been developing a psychosis, according to the documents, yet no mental health evaluation was done.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week released the results of the review led by West and Clark that found several unidentified medical officers failed to use "appropriate judgment and standards of officership" when reviewing Hasan's performance as a student, internist and psychiatric resident.

Gates withheld details, noting disciplinary action is possible. But the disjointed picture emerges through information gathered during the internal review. The material shows that the same supervisor who meticulously catalogued Hasan's problems suddenly swept them under the rug when graduation arrived.

Nothing in this record points specifically to a risk Hasan would turn violent.

On Nov. 5, according to witnesses, Hasan walked into a processing center at Fort Hood where troops undergo medical screening and opened fire with a pair of handguns. Thirteen people were killed and many more were wounded.

Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Authorities have not said whether they plan to seek the death penalty.

After the Fort Hood shootings, Gates appointed West and Clark to examine the procedures and policies for identifying threats within the military services.

___

On the Net:

Defense Department: http://www.defense.gov/

[Associated Press; By RICHARD LARDNER and CALVIN WOODWARD]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.