C006171

Round shaped coin, antique brass in color, 1 5/8 inches in diameter.

US Army Garrison, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Fort Riley is located in the Flint Hills Region of Kansas. It is home to Soldiers and families of the 1st Infantry Division known as "The Big Red One" which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. There are approximately 15,000 active duty service members assigned to Fort Riley with more than 18,000 family members, 29,000 veterans and retirees and 5,600 civilian employees who live in the region and/or work at the post. The 1st Infantry Division as well as National Guard and Reserve units from several states use the modern training facilities at Fort Riley to gain skills necessary to defend the nation.

Fort Riley is named in honor of Major General Bennet C. Riley, who led the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail. The fort was established in 1853 as a military post to protect the movement of people and trade over the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails. In the years after the Civil War, Fort Riley served as a major United States Cavalry post and school for cavalry tactics and practice. The post was a base for skirmishes with Native Americans after the Civil War ended in 1865, during which time George A. Custer was stationed at the fort.