For decades, Central Texas has been the home of “America’s Hammer,” the III Corps armored brigades, which deploy in support of America’s national security strategy to every corner of the globe on regular intervals and effectively execute their mission.

Be it Vietnam, and the famous 1st Cavalry Division that revolutionized warfare, or today as III Corps Commander Lieutenant General Paul Funk leads the effort with allied and Iraqi troops to defeat ISIS in the Middle East, soldiers stationed at Fort Hood have led the way for the U.S. military. These brave men and women and their families are our neighbors, and we couldn’t be prouder to have them as an integral part of our Central Texas community.

In recent months, Secretary of Defense James Mattis has announced a pivot in our national defense strategy. We must modernize and build our armed forces to counter the threats of great powers like China and Russia, and their proxies, like Iran and North Korea.

To hit this target, the Army has once again turned to Central Texas, choosing us as the home for the Army Futures Command, which aims to harness the innovative spirit of the region to bring about the next generation of capabilities to make our soldiers safer and more lethal when they defend our country.

The Army chose our region because our people are on the cutting edge of technology, are never satisfied with the status quo and support our great military. I was proud to support the bid and push for the funding necessary to secure Austin as the home of this 4-Star Command, and I will continue to leverage my position on the defense subcommittee to ensure this command is fully resourced.

The combination of the Futures Command in Austin and the III Corps headquarters at Fort Hood means that when it comes to the present and the future of our ground fighting force, Central Texas is right in the middle of the fight. It is a solemn responsibility, but our people believe in the cause of freedom, and have and will sacrifice to defend it through generations.

Supporting this effort by fighting for higher soldier pay and benefits, modern equipment, better housing for soldiers and their families, and modern facilities for our military installations, continues to be a great honor.

The fight doesn’t stop there. Our nation’s debt to our soldiers continues once they have transitioned from the military. We must continue to fund our Veterans Administration, while demanding competency and efficiency, ensuring that we are putting veterans, not the bureaucracy, first.

Central Texas is home to hundreds of thousands of American veterans — nearly 89,000 in my congressional district alone — and their sacrifice and support for those who stepped into their shoes to continue defending our nation is what makes our region and our country so strong.

Every day in Congress I am reminded how proud I am to be a Central Texan, when I see the critical contributions our friends and neighbors make to our country. The steps our military has taken in recent weeks ensures that will continue for many years, and I believe that makes the United States of America strong.

Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Round Rock and Fort Hood, the largest active-duty armored military installation in the free world. He serves as co-chairman of the Congressional Army Caucus and Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Appropriations.