After Fort Hood shootings, no force-wide changes in Army base security

An Army official today confirmed that no force-wide alterations have been made to existing security measures across Army bases in the U.S. in wake of the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, that killed 13 people.

“Security conditions for our bases have not changed … but we have encouraged all installations to review their security procedures and status,” said Lt. Col. Lee M. Packnett, Army Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Media Relations Division.

Published reports have said Army bases had been locked down, while others detailed the current security measures taken at specific bases, including ratcheting up of patrols and other moves to ensure base safety.

According to Packnett, security measures are based on a threat level. The Defense Department determines a basic, force-wide level of security threat across U.S. military installations, which it can raise or lower according to circumstances. Individual installations, such as a particular Army base, can increase their threat level, and therefore their own security measures, based on local situations or events. No installation may decrease its threat level below that determined by DOD.