Photo By Brian Schlumbohm | Bill Brophy, vice president of Usibelli Coal Mine and former United States Army Alaska...... read more read more
By Allen Shaw, Fort Wainwright PAO
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - More than 500 members of the Fairbanks North Star Borough community attended an Army listening session at the Carlson Center, in Fairbanks, Alaska, Feb. 24, to show support and comment on possible future troop reductions.
The Army plans to reduce its overall force from 570,000 Soldiers to 450,000 by the end of 2017 under the Budget Control Act of 2011. It could be as few as 420,000 if funding under sequestration remains the same. Fort Wainwright is among the 30 posts facing drastic reductions and could lose up to 5,800 of its 6,500 troops.
Deputy Director for Force Management John McLaurin III, Col. Thomas O’Donoghue and Lt. Col. Larry Kimbrell were the Army representatives in Alaska this week to hear and analyze public testimony. McLaurin and his team heard from Army supporters across the country in similar listening sessions to the ones in Fairbanks and Anchorage. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson stands to lose up 5,300 Soldiers.
Steve Lundgren, president and CEO of Denali State Bank, board member of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation, led the program and said, “I would like to welcome you to the Army’s SPEA listening session on behalf of the greatest post, in the greatest city, in the greatest state, in the greatest country in the world.”
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker spoke first and reminded the committee how important it was to look at Alaska [on the globe] from the top down, to realize how strategically located it is to the rest of the world.
He also said, “The comments you hear tonight are from the heart. I have seen this community do amazing things. If you want somebody on your side of an issue, this is where you want to be.”
The panel listened to more than five hours of testimony from local Alaskans, including live video-conferencing with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Congressman Don Young and Sen. Dan Sullivan from Washington, District of Columbia.
Sullivan said, “We need to make it clear to our adversaries that no matter whom you are or where you are, we can get there from here.”
He also quoted the late Brig. Gen. William “Billy” Mitchell who is well-known for his statements on Alaska’s strategic military value. Mitchell said, “He who holds Alaska will hold the world.”
Six of the individuals who gave testimony are local business leaders who were previously garrison commanders at Fort Wainwright.
Bill Brophy, vice president of Usibelli Coal Mine and former United States Army Alaska deputy commanding officer, said, “Our nation is facing challenging times. We owe our Soldiers the best training available so they are able to fight, win and come home safely. The Stryker Brigade at Fort Wainwright is a critical asset to our national strategy and has proven the war-fighting strength of Alaskan-trained Soldiers.”
He proposed that the Army should reposition [rather than reduce] forces to Alaska in order to maximize the potential of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Brophy said, “We are counting on you to provide sound advice to the decision makers and never forget that you are entrusted with the future of our sons and daughters.”
| Date Taken: | 02.24.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2015 19:11 |
| Story ID: | 155604 |
| Location: | FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 100 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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