Ft. Eustis observes moment of silence

FORT EUSTIS, Va. - Shoulder to shoulder they stood, brave soldiers in a moment of vulnerability they almost never share publicly.

"Sometimes when adversity hits we need a little help," Chaplain (Brigade Major) Dennis Krumlauf told the group of about 80 Fort Eustis soldiers gathered for a moment of silence in honor of their fallen brothers and sisters at Fort Hood. "It brings us to realize we're human and tragedy does strike us."

So many local soldiers watched as Thursday's tragedy at Fort Hood unfolded on TV.

"I had two tours at Fort Hood," said Major Adalbert Pagan. "I consider Fort Hood my home. I started making calls to friends to make sure they were O.K. I can't believe something like that could happen."

Exactly 24 hours after the horrifying shootings at Fort Hood began, there was a moment of silence at Fort Eustis. 2:34 p.m. Exactly.

"We want to remember the family members and those grieving and even the shooter. We don't know what pain he was going through," Chaplain Krumlauf told the crowd of local soldiers.

Brigade Commander, Col. Charles Maskell, spoke candidly about his feelings toward the suspected shooter, a fellow soldier, a brother in arms.

"In the end it's one person doing crazy things seemingly," said Col. Maskell. "You kind of realize that some people do not share the same army values the rest of the folks do and you kind of say, 'Hey, he's really not one of us.'"

The soldiers at Fort Eustis say they will always remember their fallen comrades, but they will carry on. They say they have to, it's their duty.