Here are recent headlines about the military in Kansas:Fort Leavenworth(KC Star commentary from Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, who takes command today of Fort Leavenworth) An honor to serve at Army’s gateway to the future: From its earliest days more than 180 years ago, Fort Leavenworth has stood as a refuge and a source of vital information during the country’s westward expansion. Countless soldiers and civilians seeking safe passage through hostile territory saw this fort as the gateway for their journey to a better future. Soldiers garrisoned at Fort Leavenworth in the 1800s had an exciting and extremely important mission at a crucial point in our nation’s history. Today, Fort Leavenworth stands once more at a critical point in history, and it is seen again, by many, as a gateway on a path to ensuring our Army is prepared for the future. Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Carl Vuono once said, “The path to a trained and ready Army runs through the gates of Fort Leavenworth.” Our soldiers today have a responsibility that is equally important to that of their predecessors – to provide our war fighters with every possible tool to ensure they are successful on the battlefield. As I take the reins of the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, I am humbled to know that I will be a part of such a tremendous organization and community. Having spent two years here attending the Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies, I know firsthand of the patriotism, gracious hospitality and sense of community that are the hallmarks of this wonderful area on the west banks of the Missouri.(Washington Post) Fredricksburg soldier killed in Iraq: Army Col. Jon M. Lockey was a brilliant analyst who regaled soldiers with tales of saddling his horse before dawn in midwinter and riding with his wife down a snowed-in farm driveway to reach his car en route to the Pentagon, colleagues said. His family recalled Lockey’s intelligence and passion for serving his country. Lockey, 44, of Fredricksburg, Va., died Friday in Baghdad of injuries from a noncombat incident, the Defense Department announced yesterday. The military declined to elaborate, saying the incident is under investigation. Lockey later received a master’s degree from New Mexico State University and attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth and the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., according to a funeral home obituary.Fort Riley ¢ 1st Infantry Division[(Army Times) Report: All military kids need pre K programs:][3] All states should make all military children eligible for state-funded pre-kindergarten programs, according to two advocacy organizations for pre-K education and for military children. Eligibility requirements vary among the 39 states that have state-funded pre-K programs. As states expand their programs, some base eligibility on income. But regardless of eligibility requirements, military families should have access, said Libby Doggett, executive director of Pre-K Now, a public education and advocacy organization based in Washington. Pre-K Now and the Military Child Education Coalition issued a joint report Thursday at the coalition’s annual conference here, titled “Pre-K for Military Families: Honoring Service, Educating Children.” The Kansas legislature in 2006 approved a test program that includes serving military children in six counties, including Geary County, near Fort Riley.[(Washington Post) Promising Journey Ends for D.C. Soldier:][4] The journey of Darrell C. Lewis took him from Southeast Washington across the United States and around the world to South Korea and Afghanistan. The journey ended yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from where he was raised. Capt. Lewis, 31, was killed June 23 in Vashir City, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small-arms fire, according to the Department of Defense. He had been in Afghanistan since February. Yesterday, more than 90 mourners braved the stifling heat to follow the horse-drawn caisson that carried Lewis’s flag-draped coffin to his final resting place. He was buried near a grandfather and a great-uncle. He was the 54th service member killed in Operation Enduring Freedom to be laid to rest at Arlington. Lewis was a member of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kan. Services for Lewis were held Tuesday at the John T. Rhines Funeral Home in the District. [2]: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/11/AR2007071102246.html [3]: www.armytimes.com/news/2007/07/military_prekindergarten_070711w/