Fort Hood memorial service live blog

A memorial service is being held today in remembrance of the 13 people killed at Fort Hood last week. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are scheduled to meet privately with family members of the victims, and the memorial service follows at 2 p.m. ET. The president will speak approximately halfway through the service.

(Update: Read text of the president's remarks.)

Yahoo! News is live blogging the memorial as it occurs, so refresh the page for ongoing updates ...

2:00 p.m. ET -- Hundreds of friends and family members of the 13 victims -- 12 active members of the U.S. armed forces and one civilian -- have gathered on this beautiful day in Texas. Meanwhile, we await the formal introduction of the service.

2:03 -- CNN reports that the president will speak about each of the fallen victims during his remarks, which are expected to last 15 to 20 minutes.

2:11 -- The First Calvary Division Band plays prelude music, which is to be followed by a moment of silence.

2:14 -- As we wait for the ceremony to begin, a baby girl plays in the grass, holding a memorial program. She is wearing a camo bib that reads, "My daddy is my hero."

2:25 -- Attendees and millions watching on television are still awaiting the beginning of the ceremony. Please stand by.

2:26 -- The White House circulates the contents of President Obama's speech.

2:28 -- CNN's Wolf Blitzer speculates that the meeting between President Obama and the families of the fallen as well as the wounded was particularly emotional and ran long, thus leading to the delay.

2:30 -- Some of the wounded surviving soldiers make their way into the ceremony.

2:40 -- Bagpipes play marking the official beginning of the ceremony. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has entered, along with the president and first lady.

2:42 -- Everyone is salutes and stands at attention as the National Anthem is played. Flags fly at half-mast. Chaplain (Colonel) Michael Lembke is then leads the opening prayer, asking God for "divine strength" to "support one another in grief and in healing."

2:44 -- Lieutenant General Robert W. Cone delivers his opening remarks, thanking everyone in attendance for coming to honor those who "answered the call of service to others." Addressing the families of the lost, he says, "No words can ever fully address your grief and sadness."

2:50 -- General George W. Casey, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Army makes note that the deceased committed over a century of service to their country and leave behind 19 children.

2:54 -- General George W. Casey, Jr. closes by asking the nation to, "Grieve with us, don't grieve for us."

2:55 -- President Obama opens his remarks by saying, "We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on. This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible."

2:58 -- The president goes through the names of the dead, sharing biographical information and anecdotes about each of them along the way.

3:02 -- After solemnly speaking of the victims individually, President Obama adds, "Their lives speak to the strength, the dignity and the decency of those who serve, and that is how they will be remembered."

3:03 -- Alluding to Nidal Malik Hasan possibly being motivated by religious beliefs, President Obama says, "It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know – no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor."

3:11 -- The president concludes his remarks and Master Sergeant Natasha D. Harley of the 1st Calvary Division sings "Amazing Grace."

3:17 -- After reading a scripture passage, Chaplain (Colonel) Michael Lembke asks the audience to pray for the strength to "put aside the anger and self-righteous indignation that often arises when great, tragic, unwarranted violence has occured."

3:22 -- Command Sergeant Major Donald Felt concludes the Final Roll Call, which is followed by the Firing of Volleys. Taps is then played as all in attendance stand and salute.

3:25 -- The president and first lady pay their final respects to each of the fallen, placing a commander-in-chief coin by each of their photographs, as they make their way out of the service. It is considered the ultimate tribute that the president can give to a fallen soldier, according to CNN's John King.

3:27 -- The president and first lady leave the ceremony to meet with the wounded soldiers still hospitalized.

Tentative Fort Hood memorial schedule of events

Prelude Concert
1st Cavalry Division Band

National Anthem

Invocation
Chaplain (Colonel) Michael Lembke
III Corps Chaplain

Remarks
Lieutenant General Robert W. Cone
Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood

General George W. Casey, Jr.
Chief of Staff of the Army

President Barack Obama

"Amazing Grace"
Master Sergeant Natasha D. Harley
1st Cavalry Division

Scripture Reading
Chaplain Lembke

Benediction
Chaplain Lembke

Final Roll Call
Command Sergeant Major Donald Felt

Firing of Volleys
1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division

Taps
Sergeant Christopher Williams

-- Brett Michael Dykes is a contributor to the Yahoo! News Blog