Fort Polk support grabs 35 percent of public comment
Published 9:43 pm Saturday, August 16, 2014
As of Tuesday, about 35 percent of all comments received to the U.S. Army Environmental Command were on behalf of maintaining troop strength at Fort Polk.
According to Fort Polk Progress, the group spearheading the comment campaign, about 5,000 of the 14,500 comments received came from communities supporting the army post. The group has used Change.org to send messages to the Army, as well as provided templates for people who wish to write letters. The online petition had garnered 3,403 comments as of Wednesday.
Last month Fort Polk, along with 29 other Army bases, were named as being considered for troop reductions as part of a larger effort to reduce Army force numbers from 490,000 to as low as 420,000. Fort Polk is being eyed for a reduction of up to 6,500 soldiers and civilian workers. Fort Polk Progress head Michael Reese has said that would devastate the local communities, which lack a diversified economy.
The group plans to hold a letter-writing blitz in the last days of the comment period and has set up events in communities throughout Southwest Louisiana.
The Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission will hold an event 8 a.m.-noon today at the Lake Charles Civic Center.
DeRidder will hold its event 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. at the Amerisafe Pavilion on Wednesday, Aug. 20. People may drop off their signed comments at DeRidder City Hall or the Beauregard Tourist Commission until Aug. 25.
Letter-writing campaigns will dot the city of Leesville on Aug. 22. The city will hold an event 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. at First United Pentecostal Church. The Mayor’s Youth Council and Jobs for America’s Graduates will have a table set up at Wal-Mart 4-6 p.m.
The Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce will set up tables at the Leesville Market Basket 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and the Vernon Parish Tourism Commission will host an event at the same time in downtown Leesville.
Businesses interested in hosting a letter-signing station may contact the Central Louisiana Chamber at 318-442-6671. A finalized list of letter-signing stations will be posted on the chamber’s website Monday.
The public comment period will end on Aug. 25.
