Due to the Department of Defense Drawdown on October 1st the US Army will be down from 570,000 personnel to 490,000. This loss of 80,000 people is only the beginning. A follow-on cut will see Army forces further reduced to 450,000 by October 2017. By 2019, that number could drop to an unprecedented 420,000, the smallest standing Army in modern times.

Threat levels are rising around the world. Russia. China. Iran. Syria. Afghanistan. North Korea. The Islamic State.

These Army reductions are not strategic. These are forced cuts brought about by Department of Defense budgetary constrictions. Now we face another defense budget cut of some $500 Billion from Sequestration and the consequences of more budget cuts of this magnitude - at this very moment in history - could be catastrophic.

Fort Benning is one of the largest. most technologically-advanced military installations in the world.

We must keep it strong.

Please do you part to help defend our Fort.