LEESVILLE — Nearly two hundred residents and state and local civic leaders attended a Fort Polk Progress luncheon Tuesday, including U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who talked about her role to help maintain troop levels at Fort Polk.

Retired Gen. Charles “Hondo” Campbell was the keynote speaker for the event.

Campbell, who until June 2010 was the last continuously serving general officer who served during the Vietnam War, said the Army’s force structure must be maintained because it’s impossible to guess what the state of the world will be.

“America must have the Army it needs, not simply the Army it can afford,” he said.

Campbell said the Army requires consistent, predictable funding, not funding based on budgetary demands. He called for the repeal of sequestration.

Fort Polk, along with nearly 30 other Army installations nationwide, is being eyed as an area for troop and civilian workforce reduction. The move is part of the Department of the Army’s overall effort to reduce its force totals.

Landrieu spoke briefly during the luncheon. She said she would fight to keep force structure above 490,000 and to spare Fort Polk from cutbacks.

“What we have now is all of us standing shoulder to shoulder, fighting together,” she said. “You can count on me to lead this effort to keep Fort Polk strong.”

Fort Polk Progress Chairman Michael Reese said reflection is key when considering how troop and civilian workforce reductions could be prevented at Fort Polk.

“It’s very, very important that we look to the future. We make plans for the future, we prepare for it,” he said. “I think it’s equally important that we give recognition for work that has been done in the past and recognize where we came from, what we have today and why we have it.”(Lauren Manary/American Press)