FORT HOOD, TX — Fort Hood officials are continuing the search for a missing 20-year-old soldier, spending two days scouring a training area.
3rd Cavalry Regiment Troopers spent June 17 and 18 searching for Pfc. Vanessa Guillen in the training area near the regiment area of operations. The search then expanded north on the east side of the training area.
Soldiers from Aries Troop, Pioneer Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, conducted the searches along with soldiers from the 74th Multi-Bridge Reconnaissance Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade.
Pfc. Guillen was last seen April 22 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters, 3rd Cavalry Regiment and has not been heard from since then.
Officials have previously searched the 3rd Cavalry Regiment buildings, barracks, fields, training areas, lakes and trails on Fort Hood.
“The 3rd Cavalry Regiment continues to aggressively search for Pfc. Vanessa Guillen and we will not stop until we find her,” said 3rd Cavalry Regiment Commander Col. Ralph Overland. “Our number one mission is to find Pfc. Vanessa Guillen. I’m laser focused on that. We are working with CID and law enforcement and we will not stop.”
Since Pfc. Guillen disappeared, Lt. Col. Edward Gavin, Pioneer Squadron commander, said Tomahawk Troop where Guillen was assigned to, Pioneer Squadron and 3rd Cavalry Regiment have participated with the CID investigation and local and federal law enforcement agencies to find her.
“Tomahawk troop, Pioneer Squadron and 3rd Cavalry Regiment have led hundreds of hours of searches through the buildings, barracks, fields, training areas, lakes, and trails all over Fort Hood Texas,” Gavin said. “In true Cavalry spirit, we have sought to develop the situation by action, not leaving to chance that Guillen may be on-post. It breaks my heart for her family, with so many unanswered questions, but also for this troop - who have many of the same questions and are still searching for evidence of her whereabouts.”
Fort Hood officials say Troopers from all squadrons across the regiment have been aggressively participating in the effort to find Pfc. Guillen. Lt. Gavin said they are dedicated to their mission and will never leave a comrade behind.
"I have participated in the search operations for Pfc. Guillen and every Trooper out there is giving maximum effort, said a Pioneer Squadron Trooper. It is frustrating that we haven’t found any clues or anything to help. It is reassuring to be a part of the search operations because it makes me feel like if anything happens to you, there's people in our organization that actually care," said Lt. Gavin.
Officials say the regiment has been conducting extensive ongoing searches and continues to search every day.
"No one really understands how much we're searching; I hope we can find her and as much as I know America has faith in us to protect this country and to fight for our nation, I feel like they should have faith in us to know that we are doing everything possible to find her,” said Sergeant 1st Class Ashlee Ibarra.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with Pfc. Guillen and her Family as we continue to search. Our duty and commitment is to Pfc. Guillen, her family, and friends and we will not stop until we find her,” Overland said.
Fort Hood CID agents continue to conduct interviews and follow up on all credible investigative leads.
An investigation into sexual harassment allegations has been started at Fort Hood.
This comes after Fort Hood said there was no credible evidence of sexual assault last week.
Anyone with information is asked to call CID agents at 254-495-7767. There is a $50,000 reward for information leading to her return.
