Murder.

This is coolbert:

From the Chicago Tribune yesterday:

In some quarters, this is going to raise some eyebrows?

“Nation briefing”

“Death sparks fearful rumors at Army base.”

“. . . the discover of a body has rattled close-knit Ft. Stewart.”

“The discovery of a woman’s body inside a home in a subdivision on the Ft. Stewart Army base got the rumor mill going at full blast this week. Some soldiers’ wives were so frightened that they moved off the Georgia post, fearing a serial murderer or rapist.”

“. . . many husbands are member of the 3rd Infantry Division deployed to Iraq.”

“. . . Internet, videos and MySpace pages were used by military families to quickly disseminate information - - true or not - - from Ft. Stewart to Iraq, often causing soldiers to be distracted by problems at home."

“I [Col. Todd Buchs, the garrison commander] want to assure installation residents that there is no threat to their safety and well being.”

NO details are forthcoming! An investigation is in progress. This sort of thing, violence, much less murder, is very rare and uncommon on military bases. A lot less prevalent than in the civilian sector. Military posts tend to be quite peaceful, felony criminal behavior being the exception.

Off post, in towns directly adjacent to a military garrison, it often is a different story? Phenix City, Alabama, for instance. Located on the border between Alabama and Georgia, right next to Ft. Benning. Phenix City was [maybe still is?] known as a sordid place, pawnshops, bars, gambling dens, houses of ill-repute, etc. A town where many of the inhabitants PREYED UPON SERVICEMEN, THE LATTER OFTEN VENTURING WHERE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE!!

"Phenix City was notorious during the 1940s and 1950s as being a haven for organized crime, prostitution, and gambling. As a result, the city had a negative reputation, and many people still associate this legacy with Phenix City"

On-base - - safe! Off-base - - not so safe!

coolbert.