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More than five years after a gunman opened fire on unarmed soldiers inside a Fort Hood medical processing center, victims of the deadliest mass shooting on a U.S. military post in history were honored Friday.
With about 1,000 people watching in front of III Corps Headquarters, 38 medals were presented to soldiers and civilians — or their family members — who were shot by Nidal Hasan on Nov. 5, 2009.
"There were days that I wondered if it was ever going to happen," said former Staff Sgt. Eric Jackson, a Killeen resident who was shot by Hasan. He said he has struggled for years with the emotional and physical toll of the shooting and questioned if he and others would ever receive Purple Heart medals, normally reserved for soldiers injured or killed in combat zones.