Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 1:56:44 PM

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Afton Man Injured at Fort Hood Dreamed of Joining Military - 11/6/2009

Matthew Cooke's high school yearbook tells the story of a shy teen who loved playing basketball...and dreamed of joining the army.

"The military was quite important for him.  That was something right from word 'go' -- military was always an option from Day One," said Dick Metzger, of DCMO BOCES in Masonville.

The Afton Central School got word from Cooke's family this morning that he was one of the 30 wounded in yesterday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood.

Afton's superintendent says she's surprised that after two tours in Iraq, Cooke was injured on American soil...by a fellow soldier.

"Families would be worried about them going off to Afghanistan or Iraq...and then to have something like this happen right here in the US is very sad," said Betty Briggs, Superintendent of Afton Central Schools

"He had a lot of faith in the military, he's put in quite a bit of time there, and it's just unfortunate," said Metzger

FOX 40 also spoke to Cooke's father, who says his son was shot at point-blank range while trying to help a fallen friend.

Cooke's former teacher says that kind of selflessness was part of his character even as a teen.

"He was very good about working with the other students, explaining what's right and what's wrong.  He was a leader in his own way there," Metzger said.

Afton school officials say Cooke is in the ICU, and family members expect him to make a full recovery.

"We're very proud of him and I'm glad that he's going to be okay," Briggs said.

***FOX 40's Sarah Blazonis Reporting

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