Fort Bragg officials wait for word on possible troop reduction
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Army has said it will cut troop strength by roughly 40,000 troops by the end of 2017, and now Army soldiers and civilian employees at Fort Bragg are waiting to learn if they could face the chopping block.
It's an announcement that the base and Fayetteville community leaders have been waiting months for.
Military officials expect there will be some cut in troop strength, but they don't think the impact will be too severe.
Fort Bragg is the nation's largest military installation, with roughly 50,000 troops which is about 10 percent of the Army's 490,000 soldiers.
In February, hundreds of community leaders asked Army officials to spare Fort Bragg in planned defense cuts.
It's unclear as to how those projected cuts will affect Fort Bragg and the surrounding communities.
Local officials fear Fort Bragg could lose up to 16,000 soldiers and civilian employees, which could have a huge economic impact on the area.
The troop cuts are expected to be announced later this week. Fort Bragg officials and community leaders are cautiously hopeful those troops cuts won't be too big.
