“I am deeply disappointed by the news of the Department of Defense’s planned inactivation of the Third Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division currently located at Ft. Knox. This decision will likely remove nearly 10,000 military employees and dependents from the area, which will have a profound economic impact not only on Ft. Knox, but the surrounding region as well. While I understand that the Departments of the Army and Defense must adjust to the current budget realities, this decision seems to focus on shorter term savings at the expense of longer term readiness. Fort Knox is a proven, premier location to station, train and deploy an Infantry Brigade Combat Team. We are surprised by the Army’s decision to inactivate this well-positioned brigade, particularly because DOD has invested more than $500 million in military construction to support the brigade and provide quality of life for soldiers and families since locating the brigade here in 2009. Because of the sizable infrastructure already in place, as well as Ft. Knox’s central location and proven capacity for adaptation, I call on the DOD to consider Ft. Knox as it considers future savings and efficiency measures. Building joint capabilities in the areas of recruiting and human resources is an obvious avenue to efficiency. Fort Knox is a vital component in the Army’s portfolio of installations, and clearly, the functions there must be leveraged to the fullest extent possible. Kentucky will always act decisively in support of our military. The Commonwealth continues to stand ready to assist and partner with DOD and the Army in solving the complex problems that face us all.”
