Last night former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura made a secret visit to the devastated military families at Fort Hood.

The Bushes Instructed the mourning military base's commander that they wanted no publicity. With their Secret Service detail, Bush and his wife made the 30 mile trip unannounced from their ranch near Crawford, Texas Friday evening.

Fox News broke news of the visit this afternoon. Other sources said the former first couple spent about two hours meeting with family and soldiers, talking quietly and at times hugging them as they did in private at other times of crisis such as post-9/11.

Most presidents come to feel a genuine respect and affection for the people they lead as commander-in-chief and sometimes the affection is reciprocated.

Many base workers and residents on Fort Hood are still reeling from the shooting this week by Major Nidal Malik Hasan that killed 13 people and wounded dozens of others. (See video below.)

The White House announced today President Obama plans to attend a memorial service there on Tuesday. Some foreig