Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, pushed top Army brass over two years, publicly and privately, to fund new military housing at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) in the heart of Missouri’s Ozarks. 

So why is St. Louis NBC affiliate KSDK claiming Hawley’s campaign boast to have secured the funding is false? 

The news station cited the senator’s negotiations, but seemingly gave them no weight, focusing instead on the fact that Hawley voted against some military spending bills that included funding for the Missouri base. 

However, most of the story is a matter of public record: Hawley fought for the funding as early as 2022, sometimes aggressively, while also making principled decisions to vote against certain funding measures, such as the 2024 Defense Authorization Act, which passed, though it was opposed by Hawley for failing to address bloated defense contractor spending. 

Now, Hawley’s office is providing The Heartlander with additional evidence of private correspondence between military officials and the senator, which clearly indicates his central role in securing the funding for military housing. 

Among the correspondence, two key letters from Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth indicate Hawley’s pivotal influence. 

In response to the senator’s request for an update on funding for FLW, Wormuth wrote a letter on May 19, 2023 indicating plans for a $91 million investment in 2023 and 2024, adding: 

“The Army hopes to continue working with your office to ensure FLW and other housing projects receive sufficient funding to ensure our Soldiers and their families enjoy safe, quality, and well-maintained homes. We appreciate your willingness to work with the Army on this issue and your continued support of our Soldiers and families.” 

Then, in reply to a follow-up from Hawley later in the year, Wormuth wrote another letter dated October 30 indicating the investment total would actually be higher, $92.5 million, once again acknowledging the senator’s central role: 

“We have worked closely with you and your staff to develop this unprecedented recapitalization effort. We have never wavered in our commitment to the Fort Leonard Wood housing project or community. Taking care of every Solider and family remains one of the Army’s top priorities.” 

So did Hawley help secure funding for housing at Fort Leonard Wood? The Army’s own secretary seems to think so.