FORT RILEY, Kan. - "It's certainly got more people and more facilities," Curtis Leary said of Fort Riley during his recent visit to the post.

Leary is a retired Coast Guard master chief petty officer from Cary, N.C., and current president of the Armed Forces E9 Association. He and 40 other members of the Armed Forces E9 Association were in Junction City May 21 and 22 for the National Convention, hosted by the Kansas Sunflower Chapter of national association.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Rick Hearron, garrison safety officer, is the president of the Sunflower Chapter.

With more than 850 members nationwide, the association is open to all retired and active duty senior enlisted personnel of the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard.

Originally called the Retired Sergeant Majors and Chiefs Association, the name was changed several years ago to drop the retired part because active-duty members are welcome to join, Leary said.

Chapters are in various states across the U.S. with the headquarters in Harker Heights, Texas, near Fort Hood.

The Kansas chapter hosted the national convention five years ago as well.

Eleven members who attended the convention toured various parts of Fort Riley including the Battle Command Training Center and had lunch at the Devil's Den dining facility. An awards ceremony was May 22, with Brig. Gen. David Petersen, 1st Infantry Division Commanding General -Rear as the guest speaker.