Sen. Moran Advocates for Fort Riley with Secretary of the Army
Sec. McHugh: “I can’t speak for the Pentagon, but Fort Riley is certainly well known and deeply appreciated in the Army…And it is, as it has been, one of our most important facilities.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) questioned Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Hearing on the Army’s fiscal year 2016 budget request.
During the hearing, Sec. McHugh praised Fort Riley and committed to meet with Sen. Moran in the coming weeks. Gen. Odierno spoke about the value of training in Kansas, as the Army’s first combat operations of the Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is currently deployed in Kuwait and stationed at Fort Riley. Sen. Moran also invited Sec. McHugh and Gen. Odierno to Fort Riley to welcome Major General Funk and the Fort Riley Division Headquarters element when they return home from Iraq.
See below highlights from the hearing:
Sen. Moran: (0:00-0:59) “Mr. Secretary, I appreciate your comments in regard to sequestration and the Budget Control Act. I didn’t vote for the Budget Control Act for a number of reasons…primarily of importance today is a belief that across-the-board cuts don’t establish priorities – it suggests that every program has equal value…Secondly, I think the primary function, responsibility of the federal government is to defend our nation. And Defense cuts, while it was described as half the cuts coming from Defense and half the cuts coming from domestic spending, the outcome is something significantly different than that. And I continue to pledge my efforts to work with my colleagues – many of them in this room today – as we try to find a solution.”
Sen. Moran: (1:39-1:57) “Mr. Secretary, I’ve asked for an appointment to see you. I hope that at some point in time, we can accomplish that.”
Sec. McHugh: (1:58-2:03) “Well, I absolutely commit to…that meeting…I look forward to it at your convenience.”
Sen. Moran: (2:16-2:51) “You wouldn’t be surprised for me to highlight…Fort Riley, Kansas, in our conversation this morning. Fort Riley is the home of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, known as the Big Red One – centered between Junction City and Manhattan, Kansas… I was at Fort Riley on Saturday – saw the new Irwin Army Hospital. One of the things that was said…was how much infrastructure investment has occurred at Fort Riley: $1.8 billion, including a new hospital to open this year, of nearly $350 million.”
Sec. McHugh: (2:52-3:10) “If I can start off – I would just note, Senator – I can’t speak for the Pentagon, but Fort Riley is certainly well known and deeply appreciated in the Army…And it is, as it has been, one of our most important facilities.”
Sen. Moran: (3:14-3:46) “The listening tour that involved General Cloutier in Kansas was very well received. The general indicated that the Army knew the square footage of Fort Riley. Knew he had all the facts and figures. But came…to learn about the heart of Fort Riley. And 4,300 Kansans showed up at Fort Riley…to demonstrate their love and care and compassion for the soldiers who serve at Fort Riley – or who are deployed from Fort Riley, and their families.”
Gen. Odierno: (5:22-5:55) “You know…we just made the first deployment of our Gray Eagle UAV that came out of the 1st Infantry Division, and they are now in Kuwait. And they will stand up and really conduct the first combat operations of our Gray Eagle capability under division control. And that’s a very important step for us in our investment. And it goes back to the comments you made, and the ability to train with that at home station is very valuable to us. It’s going to be an integral part of our…ability to conduct future warfare. So, I think this is a very important milestone for us.”
Sen. Moran: (6:07-6:35) “While there’s 4,000 acres [of light maneuver space] at Fort Riley, there’s another 35,000 acres at Great Plains Training Center, located near Salina, home of Kansas State University Salina. And Kansas State University has received the Certificate of Authorization from the FAA for the use of unmanned systems statewide. And that, we see in Kansas, as a significant development.”