FT. LEAVENWORTH – In recognition for his support of Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff College (CGSC), and the nation’s men and women in uniform, Ft. Leavenworth today honored Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) by dedicating the Trophy Lounge as the “Senator Pat Roberts Room” at the Lewis and Clark Center.

“I am deeply humbled the Army has chosen to name a room at the Lewis and Clark Center in my honor,” Senator Roberts said. “It is an honor and a privilege to represent Ft. Leavenworth in the United States Senate and as a former Marine, I understand that anything I do or that the Congress does, pales in comparison to the sacrifices our men and women in uniform, and their families, make for our nation.

“These brave men and women deserve the very best leadership the Army is able to give them. This Command and General Staff College, now housed in this new technological marvel of a building plays a major role in educating and developing that needed leadership. I am proud that we will be able to provide the warfighter with the tools needed to complete their difficult mission ahead and return home safe.”

Senator Roberts’ involvement in the construction of a new facility began back in June 2000 when he helped author Department of Defense appropriations bill language advancing the project to construct a replacement for Bell Hall, which houses the Command and General Staff College. In April 2001, after speaking to the CGSC, he was given a tour of Bell Hall, the old facility for the college.

“At one point along the way, Mr. Russell, Chief of Maintenance, reached up into the ceiling and pulled down a piece of the building’s water system - it was the most corroded and rusted piece of pipe I’d ever seen. That pipe became Exhibit “A” as we insisted on action to replace Bell Hall at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. Bell Hall looked OK from the outside but was falling apart on the inside - this - the premier instructional facility within the intellectual center of the United States Army.”

“I kept that piece of corroded Bell Hall pipe with me when I left that day. I took it with me everywhere - that pipe visited appropriations meetings, subcommittee hearings, and even full Armed Services committee hearings. I think people began to dread the sight of that pipe. That piece of pipe represented something very broken and very wrong to me. Our nation’s best and brightest come through Fort Leavenworth, and our visiting international officers do too.”

In 2001, Senator Roberts began to work with Lieutenant General Steele to support his efforts to replace Bell Hall. Shortly thereafter, working with Lieutenant General Riley, Senator Roberts secured the design funding for the Lewis and Clark Center, and then in 2003, with Lieutenant General Wallace’s leadership, secured funding for construction of this project. In July 2004, Senator Roberts helped the Army break ground on the new Lewis and Clark Center that opened in 2007.

“When you begin to appreciate the importance of the education and the international relationship that is achieved at Ft. Leavenworth, you begin to appreciate the importance of the new building,” Senator Roberts said. “I am proud to have played a small role in this achievement and want to thank my congressional colleagues and leadership at Ft. Leavenworth and in the Army, for making it a reality. The defense of liberty and individual freedom falls to every generation. I know that the Lewis and Clark Center will help the Army safely pass the torch to future generations.”

The Command and General Staff College (CGSC) is the senior educational institution for teaching tactics and staff procedures for the United States Army. Within the four schools of the college more than 22,000 resident and nonresident officers are trained annually, including Army active and reserve components, international officers, and officers from other U.S. armed services.

Senator Roberts is a former Marine and former member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.

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