Retired Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of the Association of the United States Army, visited Fort Riley Friday.

Sullivan served at Fort Riley when he was a Lt. Col. and later served as the Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division from July 1988-July 1989, while stationed in Germany.

During his visit he received an aerial tour of the post, visited soldiers in the field, and had an opportunity to speak with leaders of both Fort Riley and the surrounding communities. On his thoughts of the tour he explained he was impressed with how much the post has changed since the last time he was here.

“The amount of money that’s been spent here, the improvements, big improvements. The deployability out of here, Manhattan airfield, and the rail head. The training area. The enhancement of the new hospital which is in some state of being completed. And the housing, it’s great. We’re hitting the families, and the training, the readiness of the soldiers, and the guard, and the reserves, you know everything. It’s great,” said Sullivan.

As the President and CEO of the Association of the United States Army his responsibilities encompass both daily business operating and strategy planning for the largest Army-oriented non-profit association. He’s also a large advocate for a strong Army.

“I want an Army of a million and a half. I want it to go back to what it was, because I think the whole international scene has gone back to where it was, and I think we should put the Army back at a million and a half. I don’t think it should be any less than a million, but it should go back up to 1.5 men and women active guard and reserve.”

Sullivan went on to say that if the Government doesn’t increase the size of the Army he’s thinks,”we’re going to regret it.”

Commissioned as an armor officer in 1959, Sullivan served more than 36 years before retiring in 1995. He has held AUSA’s top spot since 1998.