Ft. Polk Expected To Lose 358 Soldiers
The official announcement from the Army has not been made. However, sources close to the situation say that as part of an asset reallocation program and cost saving venture the United States Army is expected to reassign 358 soldiers from Ft. Polk in Vernon Parish to other bases.
According to a report by the Louisiana Radio Network United States Congressman Ralph Abraham has learned of the Army's decision ahead of the official announcement. The cutback at Ft.Polk is part of an overall cutback of 40-thousand troops nationwide.
Abraham told reporters that he felt this was not the time for the Army to be making cutbacks of this size.
To draw down our forces, 40,000 troops total is just unimaginable, it's just a travesty, that defies logic.
The congressman cited issues with ISIS, North Korea, and Iran are some of the reasons that he believes Ft. Polk should actually be adding personnel instead of reducing the number of soldiers.
Some bases across the country will be losing as many as three thousand soldiers. One report earlier in the year suggested that the reduction of troops at Ft. Polk could be in the thousands. So hearing the news that the reduction is less than 400 is actually pretty good news for the area.