Joco Today

Today, U.S. Senator Marshall expressed concerns over a proposal by the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Health Agency (DHA) to downgrade hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas to acute care clinics. In a letter addressed to the DHA, Senator Marshall highlighted the potential negative impact of this change on servicemembers, their families, veterans, and local Kansans who depend on these facilities.

Senator Marshall emphasized that "if actualized, these downgrades of the hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth would be devastating to the servicemembers, their family members, the veterans in the surrounding communities, and the tens of thousands of Kansans in the local areas who rely on these institutions." He pointed out that these hospitals currently serve more than 75,000 individuals and raised concerns about how care shortages would be addressed if the proposal is implemented.

The current classification of Fort Riley as an emergency care center and Fort Leavenworth as an outpatient center provides essential services to active-duty military personnel and their families as well as veterans. Changes in classification could affect military readiness during a period marked by global tensions.