Today the Army assured the U.S. Congress that a hold has been put on eliminating 2,600 of Alaska’s Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson military personnel.
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, General Mark Milley, addressed a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, saying Russia “is not only acting aggressively in Europe they’re also asserting themselves in the Pacific and specifically in the Arctic”.
General Milley: “I think it would be contrary to strategic national security interests to go ahead and pull out the 4-25 at this time. So my thought is that we should extend them at least a year to see how the strategic situation develops and then move from there.
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, as well as Congressman Don Young have been opposed to the army personnel cuts since they were announced last year.
Two weeks ago, General Milley made good on a promise he made to Senator Sullivan in his nomination hearing to come to Alaska and assess the 4thInfantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division, which was posed to be eliminated.
Governor Bill Walker also issued a response to the announcement of the pause today: “Delaying the announced force reduction of up to 2,600 soldiers will protect our national interests and avoid the costly repair of rebuilding this valuable organization that currently exists in our state.”