ClarksvilleNow.com Reporting
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Elected officials and civic leaders from Montgomery and Christian Counties have concluded two days of meetings with legislators in Washington to try to head-off personnel reductions at Fort Campbell.
“Our meeting with Washington was very productive but our work is not over. We have to keep this matter in front of them until a decision is made,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.
(County Mayor JIm Durrett, Ben Kimbrough, Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan talk with Senator Bob Corker on Fort Campbell Photo: Contributed Jeff Truitt)
The focus now turns to the community listening session Tuesday, January 20 at Fort Campbell’s Family Resource Center.
Army officials will take public comment on possible personnel cuts as they plan for a projected nationwide reduction in personnel strength from 490,000 to 450,000, and possibly as low as 420,000. The reductions would affect both military and civilian positions.
Leadership from the Clarksville-Montgomery County and Christian County Chambers of Commerce joined Durrett, Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan, Hopkinsville Mayor Carter Hendricks and others in Washington DC.
The group met with U.S. Senators and Representatives from Tennessee and Kentucky and stressed the importance of Fort Campbell not just to the local economy but to national security as well.
“Fort Campbell operates in a region that has one of the lowest cost of living throughout the country; therefore it saves the Dept. of Defense money to actually have soldiers stationed here,” Hendricks said.
See a map with parking information for the Jan. 20 listening session below:
