Several hundred people turned out to show support for the military in Alaska and speak against potential troop reductions at an event Monday night. Pentagon officials toured Anchorage for much of the day leading up to a concert packed with boosters at the Dena’ina Center downtown.
John McLaurin is the Deputy Director for managing force reductions nation-wide, and explained to the crowd that community support factors into decisions regarding cuts. “Ya’ll were incredible,” McLaurin said at the beginning of the public listening session. “That assemblage outside before coming in here is something I’ve never seen before. You should be very proud of yourself because I am flat out impressed.”
The visit is part of the military’s draw-down of 120,000 troops by 2018. Alaska could lose 11,100 Army positions, bringing thousands more dependents and family members out of state, as well.
State and local officials are pushing hard to insulate Alaska from that. All three members of the congressional delegation testified. Senator Dan Sullivan even joked he was missing votes in Washington, D.C. to plead Alaska’s case in person. Senator Lisa Murkowski echoed the message officials in Anchorage have worked to coordinate with their counterparts in Fairbanks.
“We in Alaska are important to the Army,” Murkowski said over a video-feed. “The strength of our nation is our Army, and the strength of our Army resides right here in Alaska.”
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image credit Bill Roth ADN
