WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, today was briefed on a new training mission for the First Infantry Division’s First Brigade Combat Team (BCT) at Ft. Riley.

Army General Dan McNeil, Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command, told Roberts that the First BCT will begin working this summer with deployable military units specialized in training foreign security forces such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I am pleased the Army has chosen the First Brigade Combat Team at Ft. Riley to be the first brigade-sized unit solely dedicated to the development of Iraqi Security Forces,” Senator Roberts said. “I have long said that the development of capable and ready Iraqi security force is key to a reduced U.S. presence in Iraq. ”

Roberts went on to say, “Kansas military installations play an important role in force readiness from military doctrine and education at Ft. Leavenworth, to maneuver training and deployment from Ft. Riley, and now, to developing foreign security forces during post conflict operations. We know that Kansas military installations are home to some of the best trained and most qualified soldiers and airmen in the military. Now the professionals at Ft. Riley will have an opportunity to pass that expertise on to developing democracies.

This new mission further cements the critical contribution Kansas makes to our nation’s defense.”

The First Brigade Combat Team’s (BCT) orders to deploy to Iraq were rescinded in December due to the draw down of U.S. Forces. This new mission will be executed in Kansas allowing members of the First BCT to remain at home. The Army is expected to release more details on the new training mission in early March.