More Than 500 Fill Trade Center for Army's Listening Session on Benning Cuts
Monday, February 23rd, 2015
Icy conditions prevented Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal from attending the Army’s listening session on possible cuts at Fort Benning Wednesday but more than 500 filled the Columbus Convention & Trade Center for the two-hour session with Pentagon officials.
Military leaders assured the standing room crowd that no decision has been made on the Army’s plan to reduce its force from 490,000 soldiers to 420,000 by fiscal year 2019, a move that could possibly cost 10,767 jobs, including 9,493 military and 1,274 civilian jobs at Fort Benning. With 17 completed and 13 more listening sessions left across the nation, Brig. Gen. Roger Cloutier of the Pentagon said a decision could come by late spring or early summer on the force reductions. The general said the Army is already aware of the square footage of buildings on post, the trends and other information but wants to hear the story from residents.
