Fort massacre troops 'went into combat mode'

Unarmed soldiers caught up in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage as they were preparing to leave for Afghanistan went into combat mode, playing dead to avoid direct gunfire and refusing to leave their fallen comrades behind, a court heard.

Most took just moments to realise that the chaos of gunfire, smoke and lasers dancing across walls and bodies was not a drill and their survival instincts and military training kicked in.