SALEM — Brad Cone knows this is a defining time in his brother's military career. His charge — leading the Fort Hood, Texas, base from chaos to order after a gunman killed 13 people and wounded 30 others on Thursday.

The pressure on Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, the commander at Fort Hood, must be enormous, said Brad Cone, 45, of Salem. But he believes his older brother will hold the base together by instilling confidence in the ranks.

"He has a burning desire to serve his country," Brad Cone said yesterday from the living room of his Salem home, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

Robert's whole life has been about service and leadership, his brother said.

The Cone brothers grew up on the south side of Manchester, and their 83-year-old father, Dan, still lives there.

Robert was an Eagle Scout, a lineman on the Memorial High School football team, and a saxophone player in the school band.

"He was my idol growing up," said Brad, who is seven years his brother's junior.

Robert could have played football in college, but chose a military career and serving his country, attending West Point Academy.

He has served two tours at Fort Hood. During one of those tours, he trained with fellow soldiers for a marathon, motivating them and having inspiring music played during the miles of running.

In the coming days and weeks, Brad said his brother will inspire people around him with his dedication and the confidence he'll have in them. He said his brother's 'regular guy' persona attracts the respect of those in his command.

"I think he'll do it with good communication and empowering people around him," he said.

Brad doubts if his brother is sleeping much. Instead, he's probably focusing on getting people on track.

The Cone brothers have experienced loss before. They have lost a sister and their mother. And Robert has traveled the country eulogizing fallen soldiers, his brother said.

Brad said he sees his brother a couple times a year. Usually, their families gather at York Beach in Maine, or at his home in Salem.

To see Robert on these occasions is to see a regular Joe, a lifelong Red Sox fan wearing a Boston hat and shorts, Brad said.

Still, Brad has felt stressed for his brother since he heard about the shootings.

He was traveling for his sales job when his boss called and told him what had happened at Fort Hood. He pulled into a Best Buy and asked the clerk to put the television on CNN, where he watched his brother talk to the media.

He was relieved that Robert and his wife were safe, but also concerned given the gravity of the situation.

"He's in charge of the largest Army base in the country, and this happens in the first five weeks of his command," he said.

Brad sent his brother a text message at 10:30 that night.

"Wishing him well and telling him that we know he can do the job, and we love him," he said.

Robert e-mailed back later, thanking his brother for the support, acknowledging what a tough day it was, and saying they would talk soon.

As of yesterday afternoon, they had not spoken yet, but that didn't surprise Brad, knowing that his brother is focused on helping the base heal.

Brad said he is hopeful that he and his family will still visit his brother and his sister-in-law, Jill, in Texas this Christmas.

He said he often thinks of what it might have been like if Robert had gone to Boston College and chosen a civilian life instead of West Point and a career in the military. The two brothers would have spent a lot more time together over the years.

But then, he said, that's not who is brother is. Robert chose a life of service and will now continue to fulfill that duty.

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