FORT RILEY, Kan. - Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins was able to get a closer look at Fort Riley June 20.
Escorted by Maj. Gen. William Mayville, commanding general of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley, Division Command Sgt. Major Jim Champagne and other leaders on post, Jenkins was able to take a tour of on post barracks and speak with the soldiers who occupy them.
First stopping by a recently constructed building housing those of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, Jenkins was able to witness first-hand the top of the line quarters soldiers are taking advantage of today.
On hand were Spc. Nicholas Sullivan and Pfc. Daniel Giovannucci, who took the opportunity to visit with the Congresswoman and show her there rooms while they explained the niceties of their current housing, compared to their previous living quarters.
Not to keep them from their day, Jenkins moved to a recently renovated building where Spc. Clayton Jenison and Pvt. Dat Tran, both of 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, waited.
Though not brand new, Jenison and Tran were eager to compliment their newly renovated quarters, and hoped that the Congresswoman would continue to help the post build new and remodel older housing for their fellow soldiers.
“I was curious to see what the barracks looked like, where our soldiers are living at today at Fort Riley,” Jenkins said. “I was pleased to get a cross section of the individual rooms … I was pleased with what I saw.”
When in Washington, D.C., Jenkins explained that she and her fellow congressmen and women are always asking themselves if they are spending taxpayer money wisely, and if there will be a return from the money spent. The barracks Jenkins saw helped answer that question.
“[This] is a good investment of our tax dollars to take good care of our soldiers,” she said. “I can’t think of a better way to spend money than taking good care of the folks who are protecting us day and night.”