Pregnant soldier from Chicago killed at Ft. Hood

Tribune/WGN ^ | 11-6--09 | N/A

[JustPiper]

A 21-year-old pregnant soldier who was due to come home within weeks is the second Chicago-area victim from the shooting at Fort Hood.

Francesca Velez had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and was due to be temporarily released from the military on maternity leave, according to her family and friends.

[jan in Colorado]

Sadly, Hasan will become a martyr for the left, the antiwar/antiamerica crowd!

[null and void]

SHE WAS EFFIN EXECUTED!!!!!

Executed? Was there a trial? Was she convicted? Who sentenced her?

She was MURDERED. Murder most foul.

(Although I could be persuaded to go with "Sacrificed". On those twin altars of evil: islam and political correctness)...

[Candor7]

EXECUTED. IN COLD BLOOD. SHARIA LAW.

THIS WAS GENOCIDE, NOT MERE MURDER.
IT WAS A WAR CRIME.

[Mi-kha-el]

Is this Iran. I hear that’s how Ahmadinejad hangs people and makes family watch.

[Paladin2]

---> 14

Mad Mo needs to fry.

[JustPiper]

Thanks for posting this EV and pennie thanks for the ping!

The child of Francheska Velez: The Fourteenth Victim at Ft. Hood

[JustPiper]

something in me loves the fact that this rampaging Muslim was stopped by a little blonde America woman with exposed arms and hair

That says it all my friend

[JustPiper]

How about Barry’s Rezko property?

[JustPiper]

Nulleee

[Randy Larsen]

Usually this would cause me to shoot my big mouth off, but I’m too upset to say anything right now.

I have very strong feelings about this massacre, but right now All I would like to post is my most humble condolences to Francesca’s family.

[tioga]

Dear, God. This is heartbreaking.

Mother and child RIP.

[JustPiper]

The 21-year-old Chicago woman was pregnant and preparing to return home. A friend of Velez’s, Sasha Ramos, describes her as a fun-loving person who wrote poetry and loved dancing.

Ramos says Velez was like her sister. “She was the most fun and happy person you could know. She never did anything wrong to anybody.”

Family members say Velez had recently returned from deployment in Iraq and had sought a lifelong career in the Army.

Her father, Juan Guillermo Velez, says “She was a very happy girl and sweet. She had the spirit of a child.”

Ramos, who also served briefly in the military, couldn’t reconcile that her friend was killed in this country — just after leaving a war zone. In her words, “It makes it a lot harder. This is not something a soldier expects — to have someone in our uniform go start shooting at us.”

[JustPiper]

Ft. Hood Victims Include Newlywed & Mom-To-Be

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[2nd amendment mama]

Bookmark

[JustPiper]

Pregnant Chicago Woman Also Among Ft. Hood Victims

Profiles of Fort Hood's victims

[JustPiper]

Army families mourn bright lives cut short Chicago-area privates who found happiness in military are among 13 killed in Fort Hood rampage

Local woman killed in Ft. Hood shooting

The Army says a pregnant woman originally from the Chicago area was killed at Fort Hood. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago's Northwest Side, was among those killed in a shooting rampage Thursday on the Texas Army base.

Private Velez was three months pregnant and was scheduled to begin maternity leave in December.

Velez is the latest victim of the Fort Hood massacre. The family learned of her death late Thursday night. Father Juan Velez says there are no words that can express the pain he is feeling.

"It's something very painful&it's a great loss&there are no words to express our sorrow," said Velez. Velez had been in the service for three years and returned this week from a tour of duty in Iraq. She was in the third month of her pregnancy and was in Fort Hood filling out paper work when the gunman started shooting.

"She was courageous. Nobody had the heart to do what she did. She was so young, beautiful," said Jennifer Arzuaga, Velez's cousin.

Velez's father says he worried about her when she talked about her missions in Iraq and never expected something like this to happen to his daughter in the United States.

"There should have been a red flag. If he wanted a discharge for a reasons, they should have let him go," said Herbie Mojica, victim's uncle.

Velez's family says she was happy and loved her country and serving in the military.

"She was going to re-enlist and started a tour of duty in Korea and she served a tour duty in Iraq and she was in the processing phase and then this occurred," said the family spokesperson.

The family said the last time they saw her was August 28, her 21st birthday, when she came home.

"She came home in August, she came as a surprise," said Velez. "Of course, I am proud of her."

Family says that she was excited to be home. She called her mom saying how anxious she was to become a mother and looking forward to buying baby clothes. Her family was looking forward to seeing her and talking about the future grandchild.

"It would have been fun. Apparently she's up there watching over us right now so that's what matters," said Sandy Rivera, Velez's cousin.

[JustPiper]

UPDATE

The price of his rampage:

Exerpt. Please read entire story

When Velez learned about the shootings Thursday, he spent several frantic hours calling his daughter's cell phone. At 10:30 p.m., a somber Army representative showed up at the family's Humboldt Park home to inform them of her death.

Neighbors said the anguished father's wailing could be heard on the entire block. His wife, Eillen Velez, became so distraught she had to be hospitalized.

Army families mourn bright lives cut short

[JustPiper]

Rest Francheska holding your angel in your arms as God is holding both of you. Prayers for Francheska's mother.

A pregnant Army private from Humboldt Park was one of two Chicago-area soldiers killed in the shooting at Fort Hood, her family confirmed today. Francheska Velez, 21, was three months pregnant and had been in the Army for three years, according to her sister-in-law Marisol Cruz. “She was the sweetest, sweetest person,” Cruz said. “If you needed anything, you could count on her.”

Juan Guillermo Velez holds a picture of his daughter, Francheska Velez, 21, during an interview at Velez's home A pregnant Army private from Humboldt Park was one of two Chicago-area soldiers killed in the shooting at Fort Hood, her family confirmed today. Francheska Velez, 21, was three months pregnant and had been in the Army for three years, according to her sister-in-law Marisol Cruz. “She was the sweetest, sweetest person,” Cruz said. “If you needed anything, you could count on her.”

Juan Guillermo Velez holds a picture of his daughter Francheska's Quinceaera portrait (second from right) at his home on W. Kamerling Ave. Friday in Chicago. Francheska Velez, 21, was one of the victims of the shooting at Fort Hood near Killeen, TX.

[JustPiper]

Pvt. Francheska Velez

Growing up, Pvt. Francheska Velez was a 'fraidy cat -- horror movies and bugs gave her the willies. "When she joined the Army that all changed . . . in a good way," Pvt. Velez's cousin Jennifer Arzuaga said. "She became stronger." Army strong.