By Senator Mark Begich:

General Billy Mitchell, considered the father of the Air Force, said in 1935: “Alaska is the most important, strategic place in the world.”

He was right. Alaska is critical to the military’s ability to execute our National Defense Strategy. The renewed focus on the Asian Pacific by the Department of Defense only makes our state more important to military training, operations and strategies.

This is evident in recent military decisions, like Secretary Chuck Hagel’s announcement earlier this year to invest more than $1 billion at Fort Greely in enhancements to the missile defense system to counter threats from North Korea and Iran.

I have been working with the Obama administration and my Republican colleague, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, to ensure these critical investments are made to protect our homeland.