'Fort Polk Progress' is a regional community organization taking a proactive stance against the possible closure of Fort Polk. The organization has marketed the Army base as a cost effective place to provide the best possible training for soldiers while giving the families of the soldiers the best quality of life. 'Fort Polk Progress' engaged the services of Business Development Advisors to analyze the economic impact of the proposed force reduction at Fort Polk in response to the Department of the Army's Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA).

Michael Reese, chairman of 'Fort Polk Progress' recently said,

Considering direct, indirect and induced effects, our preliminary findings are that a force reduction of 6,500 troops and Army civilians at Fort Polk would cost the state of Louisiana $864 million in statewide sales; $567 million in income; $30 million in state and local taxes; and nearly 11,000 total jobs.

Leesville Mayor Rick Allen said,

Despite the threat of a troop reduction at Fort Polk, Leesville is steadily making improvements to infrastructure to support a new school that will serve military families and future growth at Fort Polk. A loss of 8,000 jobs would continue to perpetuate a boom and bust cycle that prevents Leesville from attracting the sort of retail and recreational opportunities desired by military families.

 

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