Maj. Gen. Robert Brown, commander of Fort Benning, said after a speech to a local civic club Monday that it would “be foolish” of him to predict the impact of the pending Army cuts on Fort Benning.
But he quickly added, “I think we are in pretty darn good shape.”
It was announced almost three weeks ago that the Army would eliminate eight combat brigades and reduce its size by almost 80,000 soldiers over the next decade. The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division -- with about 4,000 soldiers -- is assigned to Fort Benning.
The news comes as the military has pulled out of Iraq and is preparing to reduce the size of the force fighting in Afghanistan.
But Brown, who was speaking to the Phenix City Rotary Club, issued caution about the process.
“It is too early to tell,” he said. “But the good news is we grew when everyone else shrunk.”
The general was referring to the recent round of base closures and realignment that brought about 3,000 permanent party soldiers, 1,200 civilian workers and 4,800 contractors to Fort Benning.
Brown was questioned by one of the club members about what to tell soldiers who are leaving the Army and looking for civil service work on post.
“This is not a great time to be hired by the government,” Brown said. “There is a hiring freeze depending on the job category.”
When the person in charge of Fort Benning’s firing ranges left recently, Brown had to take special action to fill that position.
“Now these are the busiest ranges in the Army,” Brown said. “I had to get an exception to make that hire. It was difficult, but it was possible.”
In addition to the civilian hiring freeze, it was recently announced that Fort Benning will train 35,000 fewer troops in the 2012 fiscal year than it did in 2011. The post will train 96,000 soldiers this fiscal year -- which began Oct. 1, 2011, and ends Sept. 30 -- compared to 131,000 for fiscal year 2011.
Brown said there was a “glass half full” side to the downsizing story.
“There are first-time soldiers who have done good -- not great, but good -- and they can’t re-enlist,” Brown said. “… We can be pickier.”
Prior to Brown’s 30-minute question and answer session, Command Sgt. Maj. John Etter, a member of the Phenix City Rotary Club, was recognized by club President Jim Welburn and Mayor Sonny Coulter for his service.
Etter is preparing for reassignment to Hawaii.
During his assignment to Fort Benning, Etter, a Phenix City resident, has regularly read to students at Phenix City elementary schools and worked in the community.
Brown pointed to Etter as an example of the work that Fort Benning soldiers do in the Columbus, Phenix City and surrounding communities.
