Army officials increased security at Fort Detrick on Friday in response to Thursday's shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, that left 13 people dead and at least 30 wounded. Fort Detrick made security changes but "can't comment on additional security measures other than that they are being taken," wrote Lanessa Hill, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Detrick, in an e-mail. The Force Protection Condition, which indicates the likelihood of a threat at Army installations, was not changed, as was advised by the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado, Hill said. "Fort Detrick remains vigilant and has security measures in place for visitors as well as its employees," Hill said. "As always the safety of everyone at this installation remains a priority." Thursday's shootings at Fort Hood raised several security questions, in part because the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was a psychiatrist at the Army post and would not have been in possession of an Army-issued weapon, news reports said. At all U.S. military installations, firearms are kept secure unless they are being used for a training exercise or by security guards. Privately owned guns are allowed in accordance with local laws, but officials said Hasan lived off-post. Because Fort Detrick focuses on medical research rather than soldier training, only security officers at the entrance gates and employees in the provost marshal's office would be allowed to be armed.
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