July Column

This month, the First Infantry Division headquarters returns to Ft. Riley, bringing thousands of soldiers and their families home once again to Kansas. The First Infantry Division, or the Big Red One, has been stationed in Germany since 1996, when it left Ft. Riley as part of an Army restructuring.

The return of the Big Red One is the culmination of years of hard work by federal, state and local leaders, and I have been proud to champion Ft. Riley in Washington. While this decision to return the division to Kansas was major news, it came as no surprise to Kansans. Fort Riley’s expansive training and maneuver space, its wide open spaces unencumbered with environmental or encroachment concerns, and its state of the art deployment facilities, were exactly what the United States Army, and the Department of Defense, were looking for when considering a new home for the division. In addition to these superb training opportunities, Kansas hospitality, particularly for those in uniform, is without equal.

There is no doubt that Kansans led the way in their appreciation and deep respect for those who sacrifice daily to protect our liberties and freedoms. Kansans are proactive when it comes to displaying their gratitude for our troops. The G.I. Bill and Veterans Day are both part of American pride and culture, and both initiatives started in Kansas.

And now, there is a new symbol of our strong patriotism. Earlier this month, the Senate passed a resolution, which I authored, commending the Patriot Guard Riders for shielding mourning military families from protesters, for preserving the memory of fallen service members and for preserving the dignity of their funerals.

Some may not know that this initiative - originally known as the Patriot Guard - found its roots in Kansas when the wife of a veteran read about heinous protests at military funerals. She asked what could be done, and the response was the Patriot Guard. Since that time, this home-grown initiative has evolved into a nationwide network of volunteers. Regardless of the presence of protestors, these volunteers travel to the funerals of those killed in combat to show their respect and support for the families. When disruptions are planned, they line the motorcade route with flags and motorcycles and drown out the hatred inflicted on the grieving. It is an awesome and awe-inspiring sight and helps to remind us about what is so great about our country.

So what do Kansans have to look forward to with the return of the Big Red One? Plenty. The Big Red One has a colorful and storied history, from its role in D-Day on the beaches of Normandy to its numerous deployments over the last 10 years, including two in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now, the longest continually serving, and most prestigious Infantry Division in the history of the U.S. Army, will again call Ft. Riley home.

The population of soldiers at Fort Riley will ultimately grow from the previous number of 11,000 to over 18,000. When considering military, dependents, civilian workforce and retirees, Fort Riley and the surrounding communities will grow from the present 46,000 people to an estimated 71,000 over a few years.

Currently, it is estimated that Ft. Riley provides an $866 million economic impact to Manhattan, Junction City, and the surrounding communities. This will grow substantially over the next several years.

With Fort Riley’s success, new challenges have arisen as Manhattan, Junction City and the surrounding communities work to provide a seamless transition for soldiers and their families relocating from Germany.

I am working closely with local, state, and federal officials to provide quality housing for returning troops, and their dependents; to ensure local school districts have the resources necessary to provide a solid education for arriving children; to provide transportation funds to expand local roads; to address health care needs that result from a sudden influx of troops; as well as other areas including workforce and labor issues, and access to child care.

We must not look at these as obstacles, but rather opportunities to provide a better quality of life for the troops returning to Fort Riley, and to the families that call Central Kansas home. After all, it is what we do best.

If you would like to know more about issues before the Senate, please visit my Web site at https://www.roberts.senate.gov . For regular updates, be sure to sign up on my home page for a monthly e-newsletter, The Roberts Report.