(KTRS) – Fort Leonard Wood will have to cut nearly 800 trooper by the end of the 2017 fiscal year.
The reductions were announced today in a joint statement from Senators McCaskill and Blunt and Representative Vicky Hartzler. The cuts are part of a nationwide effort to reduce the number of active-duty soldiers from 490,000 down to 450,000.
The statement continued by saying that although a significant loss, the cuts at Fort Leonard Wood were lower than those at many other bases around the country. The officials reaffirmed that Fort Leonard Wood will continue to play a critical role in the training and development of troops.
The complete statement from Sens. McCaskill and Blunt, and Rep. Hartzler
“This spring, more than 2,000 Missourians, including local leaders, stakeholders, state and congressional delegations, soldiers and family members, attended the SPEA listening session, marking the second-largest recorded attendance in the country. While budgetary constraints have forced the Army to make difficult decisions, today’s announcement confirms what Missourians already know: Fort Leonard Wood will continue to play a critical role in the training and development of our troops. Key criteria, including an abundance of maneuver and training areas, the absence of encroachment concerns, optimal geographic location, and plenty of community support give Fort Leonard Wood a significant leg up over other installations for future Army missions,” the Missouri lawmakers said.
“Working with installation and Army leadership, in partnership with the Missouri congressional delegation, Missouri has positioned Fort Leonard Wood for the Army of the future, as one of the premier training bases in the country. The announced reductions to active duty personnel, while significant, are lower than the cuts at many other Army posts across the nation and lower than the level of cuts Fort Leonard Wood experienced in 2013. This is a challenging announcement for the Fort Leonard Wood community, but we remain committed in our support for the fort along with its brave soldiers, families and civilians stationed there,” the lawmakers concluded.