Bonham, TX - Communities honored our military men and women at the 19th annual Regional Veterans Day Celebration. Warrior stadium in Bonham was filled with students, civilians and veterans, but what is normally a ceremony to honor those who have served our country also became a time to remember the victim's of Thursday’s shootings.

With the Red White and Blue lowered to half staff, taps and the Star Spangled Banner ringing out over the crowd, it was hard not to think of Fort Hood at this Veterans Day ceremony.

"It's very difficult for me to understand,” said Army veteran Charles Brown.

Brown says he’s still in shock after the mass killings.

"I can't say what's going on, he's supposed to be a psychiatrist and they're supposed to be the people who keep you from doing things like that,” said Brown.

After 21 years of active duty, Brown knows what it takes to be a soldier, and the struggles they endure.

"I was on the front lines for eight months in Korea in the second winter, and you were scared all the time, 24 hours a day you slept in your helmet your boots, you never got undressed, and artillery shells came in at any time, you never knew when they were coming in,” recalled Brown.

Many years after his time in war, Brown now wonders what went wrong at Fort Hood yesterday with troubled Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan. And he says this Veterans Day it's more vital than ever to remember those who serve in the military.

"Well I just hope everybody will support the veterans and remember that they're over there and freedom's not free,” said Brown.

Veterans weren't the only ones at today's ceremony thinking of Fort Hood.

"The shooter was a physician, a psychiatrist, he'd been in the army his whole life, I mean how do you make sense of that?” said Texas State Senator Bob Deuell.

But one thing he and others can make sense of - these victims still died honorably in service.

"They were preparing to go overseas and defend our country, so I can't make sense of it and my heart goes out to them and the families,” said Brown.