1st District Congressman Tim Huelskamp stated Thursday he helped lead an effort to defeat an amendment on the floor of the House of Representatives that would have hurt Fort Riley.

An amendment was proposed on the floor of the U.S. House to eliminate the base’s helicopter fleet by stopping the scheduled transfer of 24 Apache helicopters from the National Guard to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley. According to Army Secretary John McHugh, that would leave soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division without the proper joint training experience for combat.

Huelskamp issued this statement:

“The transfer of these Apache helicopters is critical to maintaining the superior operating capabilities of the Big Red One. By working with my colleagues, we were able to ensure Fort Riley continues to have necessary aviation capabilities to support 1st Infantry Division soldiers. Efforts to derail the transfer of these Apache helicopters is purely political and only seves to disrupt the effectiveness of the Army and would prompt the abrupt relocation of countless soldiers and their families.”