In a letter to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Health Agency (DHA), U.S. Senator Marshall, M.D., urged DHA to reconsider its plan to downgrade hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth to acute care clinics.

“If actualized, these downgrades of the hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth would be devastating to the service members, 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,” said Senator Marshall in his letter to DHA. “Combined, these hospitals service more than 75,000 individuals. At this point, it is unclear how the DHA and the Department of Defense will address shortages of care that will undoubtedly occur following this change.”

The hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth are currently designated as emergency care and outpatient centers, respectively, offering essential care to active-duty military personnel, their families, and veterans in the local communities and surrounding areas.

Any changes to the classification of these hospitals could significantly affect the Army’s military readiness, especially amid rising global tensions.

The letter in its entirety can be found here.