 The United States depends on a strong national defense to preserve liberty at home and defend our interests abroad. Since 9/11, the task of building and maintaining our Armed Forces has become more complicated and more important than ever. We must ensure our military has the resources necessary to secure victories in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight the Global War on Terrorism. We also must invest in the personnel and equipment necessary for our forces to maintain superiority in the next conflict, wherever and whenever it may occur.
I invite you to explore some key Defense issues further by clicking on the links below.
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| KANSAS AND NATIONAL DEFENSE |
| Kansas plays an important role in the nation's defense. Our state is home to several key installations, including Fort Riley, headquarters for the Army's First Infantry Division, Fort Leavenworth, which houses the Command and General Staff College, and McConnell Air Force Base, one of the nation's premier bases for aerial refueling tankers. Read More |
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| TANKER REPLACEMENT |
Aerial refueling tankers provide a truly global reach for our nation's military. Tankers enable the rest of our forces to be successful, getting troops into the fight, extending the range of our fighters and bombers and facilitating the movement of equipment and supplies. Read More |
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| GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM |
| The attacks of September 11, 2001 forced our nation to deal with the threat of international terrorism. For the last several years, we have designed new policies and new government structures aimed at preserving our security at home and abroad. Read More |
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| AFGHANISTAN/OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM |
| During my time as chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, I held numerous hearings on central Asia, including the situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Read More |
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| IRAQ/OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM |
| Our military forces in Iraq continue to perform brilliantly against determined enemies. I had reservations about the surge at the outset, but the numbers coming out of Iraq indicate substantial progress in recent months. Read More |
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| FT. RILEY, KANSAS - HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE |
Kansas welcomed the 1st Infantry Division back from Germany to Fort Riley in 2006. My colleagues and I had worked tirelessly for many years to make that day a reality. The result will be an increased military end strength at Fort Riley of approximately 18,000 soldiers by 2012 and an unprecedented doubling of the entire population of central Kansas. Read More |
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