Local officials expressed varying degrees of disappointment in Tuesday’s announcement Fort Stewart will lose some 1,370 troops as part of an Army-wide restructuring.
Pembroke Mayor Mary Warnell, who traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month as part of a regional political delegation in support of Fort Stewart, said the news wasn’t entirely unexpected.
“I certainly regret the Army’s announcement of the loss of the brigade at Fort Stewart,” Warnell said. “We were, however, aware that almost every post in the U.S. would be affected by this first round of cuts to our military. With the reassignment of many soldiers to other positions at Fort Stewart, the net loss is certainly not as severe as it could have been.
“Our city may experience the loss of some military families, but I don’t anticipate a significant number,” Warnell continued. “Pembroke continues to strongly support Fort Stewart, its soldiers and their families.”
Fort Stewart will lose a brigade combat team but gain some battalions, which will help minimize the impact of the restructuring. The Department of the Army is cutting its force from 570,000 to 490,000 troops by 2017.

See full story in June 29 issue of the Bryan County News.