Fort Polk will escape the upcoming Army troop cuts with only minor losses, multiple sources have confirmed to Gannett Louisiana.
The Vernon Parish base is expected to lose less than 400 troops when Army officials make the announcement about the cuts later today. The base could have lost more than 6,000 soldiers and civilian personnel.
“I’m outraged that there were any cuts at all,” says 5th District U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-Alto. “At a time where we face threats from ISIS, Iran, North Korea and a host of other threats, our national security should be our paramount concern.”
Abraham tells Gannett Louisiana that Fort Polk would lose 388 troops. Local sources confirmed they had been told the base would experience a reduction in that range. In all, 14 bases across the country will lose personnel, some as many as 3,000 each.
Deborah Randolph, president of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, says losing 388 troops at Fort Polk is the “best-case scenario.”
“We’re grateful to Army decision makers,” she says.
“While I’d rather not see any drawdown of our troops, this is ultimately positive news,” says Sen. David Vitter. “Fort Polk was saved from significantly greater cuts.”
The Army is under a mandate to cut 40,000 troops in the next two years, drawing down from a force of 490,000 to 450,000. Army officials were considering 30 bases for cutbacks to meet the mandated reduction, including Fort Polk.
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division is stationed at Fort Polk. If that brigade was deactivated to meet the mandated reduction, Fort Polk stood to lose 6,500 personnel from its current military population of more than 10,000.
Losses like that would have been felt throughout the state, where Fort Polk is the largest nongovernmental employer by payroll, but it would have devastating to Leesville and Vernon Parish, where local economies depend heavily on the military population.
Local stakeholders in the area also tell Gannett Louisiana they’re confident ahead of Thursday’s announcement that Fort Polk would escape major cuts. Read the full story.
