Fort Riley Troop Reductions

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says the two Army posts in Kansas have been largely spared as troop numbers are reduced nationwide over the next two years.

Moran told The Associated Press that Army officials informed him Thursday that Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth together would lose fewer than 700 soldiers over the next two years. The Kansas Republican serves on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee.

The two posts together have about 19,300 soldiers.

Moran said Fort Riley is authorized to have 15,400 soldiers and will lose 615, or about 4 percent. Moran said Kansas officials feared losing 4,000 troops.

The senator said Fort Leavenworth will lose 60 of its 3,900 soldiers, a decline of 1.5 percent.

The Army is reducing its 490,000 active-duty troops by 40,000, or about 8 percent.