In her first visit to a domestic military installation as acting deputy secretary of defense, Christine Fox spent time at Fort Riley on Monday ( Feb. 10 ) visiting with 1st Infantry Division soldiers, and observing virtual and contructive training at the Mission Training Complex.

Fox was appointed to the acting deputy position on Dec. 5. She last served as the Defense Department’s director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation.

Fox’s December appointment makes her the second most senior official at the Pentagon and the most senior-ranking woman in the history of the Defense Department.

The deputy secretary of defense said while much attention has been directed at the military’s mission in Afghanistan, the 1st Infantry Division’s work as a regionally aligned force, as well as other complex tasks, represent the future of the Army.