With cuts looming, AUSA brings local towns together

The mood inside the Dothan Civic Center changed quickly. 

As the assembled crowd at the Association of the United States Army kickoff luncheon was just getting over the comedy routine of Army veteran Jody Fuller, retired Brig. Gen. Rod Wolfe stepped to the podium to attempt to rally the troops…literally.

Wolfe informed the crowd proposed federal sequestration cuts, set to go in to effect Oct. 1, would deliver a substantial hit to not only Fort Rucker, but also the local communities. 

Wolfe said if full cuts come to Fort Rucker, it could result in the loss of 300 or more flight school students. The drop in number of students would have residual impact on the numbers of mechanics needed, government contract workers and overall well-being of the post and local communities. 

Wolfe estimated somewhere around 3,000 jobs would be lost because of federal cuts aimed at lowering the astronomical federal debt. The Concord Group, a bi-partisan political advocacy group, lists the national debt at more than $16.7 trillion.

Congress established the sequester through the Budget Control Act in 2011, mandating spending cuts that were projected to total $1.2 trillion. Cuts were scheduled to begin in 2013 and end in 2021, evenly divided over the nine-year period. However, President Barack Obama recently introduced a new plan that gives the president power to spend $74 billion in discretionary funds over the cap. 

Representatives from the four major cities associated with Fort Rucker – Enterprise, Daleville, Dothan and Ozark – were in attendance at the event in order to show their support for the military.

Enterprise mayor Kenneth Boswell says his city is happy to have a relationship with Fort Rucker soldiers and will do its best to make sure that continues. 

“We are blessed that we do have military that choose Enterprise to live,” Boswell said. “They can choose anywhere in the Wiregrass they want, but we do get a large number of those soldiers. We are happy about that. We, from a municipality standpoint, support these soldiers and their families.”

An Army censing team will come to Fort Rucker in February and hear proposals from local cities, including Enterprise, Ozark and Daleville, about the impact the post has on the area. Following the presentations, the general public will have an opportunity to address the Army personnel.

The open forum is slated for Feb. 23 at the Fort Rucker post theatre at 6 p.m.

The Fort Rucker-Wiregrass Chapter of AUSA includes more than 1,000 members – including businesses as well as individual members. For more information, including how to join the AUSA, contact the organization by email at [email protected].