The U.S. Army is asking for the public’s help in its search for another soldier missing from Fort Hood, Texas.
Army officials at Fort Hood issued a missing soldier alert Thursday night for Sgt. Elder Fernandes, 23.
“Our primary concern is for his health and well-being,” the Army said in the alert.
Police in nearby Killeen, who are also investigating, said he had been reported missing Wednesday. Family members told police he was last seen or heard from Monday afternoon when his staff sergeant dropped him off at his home in Killeen.
The soldier, whose family is originally from Cape Verde in West Africa, had been in the hospital for four or five days prior to his disappearance, Ailiana Fernandes, Elder’s mother, told NBC News. It’s still unclear to her why her son was in the hospital, she said.
Ailiana, who lives in Massachusetts, traveled to Fort Hood to seek answers on her son’s whereabouts. “As of right now, I’m not getting any answers,” she said.
Fernandes is a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade at the Central Texas Army installation. He was last seen wearing black Army physical training shorts and a T-shirt with red athletic shoes, according to Killeen police.
Tipsters are asked to contact Fort Hood military police at 254-288-1170 or the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at 254-287-2722. People can also contact the Killeen Police Department at 254-200-7905.
Fort Hood has been in the spotlight following reports of other missing soldiers, particularly Spc. Vanessa Guillén, 20, whose remains were later found after extensive national attention.
