A crowd attends an Army "listening session" on potential cuts at Fort Campbell, Ky, on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2015. Under the Army's worst-case scenario, the sprawling post on the Kentucky-Tennessee line could lose up to 16,000 soliders and civilians by 2020. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - Army leaders hosted an overflow crowd for a "listening session" at Fort Campbell on Tuesday about force reduction plans that could include deep cuts at the post that is home to the famed 101st Airborne Division.
Under the maximum cuts in Army spending that could be imposed by the end of the decade, Fort Campbell, which straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky line, would lose half of the soldiers and civilians, or about 16,000 people, who in turn have more than 24,000 spouses and children living in the community.
"We've got the facts, we've got the statistics, we understand what is here at this installation," said Brig. Gen. Roger Cloutier Jr., who presided over the hearing. "We want to hear Fort Campbell's story."
About 23 percent of jobs in neighboring Christian County, Kentucky, and 14 percent of jobs in Montgomery County, Tennessee, are tied to the military installation. According to the Army estimates of the worst case scenario for Fort Campbell: area income would fall by $969 million by 2020, while the housing market and public schools would be heavily affected by the departures.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Kentucky Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen were among the numerous politicians and community leaders who appeared at the event.
Luallen noted that Fort Campbell only last year absorbed the deactivation of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, a 2,400-soldier unit.