Officers May Be Punished for Ft. Hood Tragedy

Review finds Hasan's shortcomings ignored
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 15, 2010 1:45 AM CST
Updated Jan 15, 2010 5:29 AM CST
Officers May Be Punished for Ft. Hood Tragedy
The 2007 picture provided by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences shows Nidal Malik Hasan when he entered the program for his Disaster and Military Psychiatry Fellowship.    (AP Photo/Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, File)

Up to eight army officers may be disciplined for errors of judgment ahead of the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage, according to an official familiar with a Pentagon review of the incident. The review found that officers allowed accused shooter Nidal Malik Hasan's career to advance despite his erratic behavior and failure to meet required standards for physical fitness, appearance and work ethic, the official tells the Los Angeles Times.

The review found that Hasan could have been forced out of the military well before the shootings if his shortcomings had been properly addressed, the official says. The investigation, which calls for a revamp of how the military identifies threats from within, found that officers let Hasan's failings slip because they were impressed by his undergraduate record, infantry service, and knowledge of the Muslim faith. "The Army thought it had hit the trifecta," the offical noted. (More Nidal Malik Hasan stories.)

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