This week, our Legislative family took a road trip to join more than 2,000 people at a Community Listening Session at Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County. The session allowed for community members and elected officials to speak out against planned cuts in employment at the military base. If the proposed cuts are mandated, it’s possible the base could lose up to 5,400 military and civilian jobs by the end of the year. Not only would this hurt the families of those who would lose their jobs, but the local community would suffer a huge economic loss, as well.

Fort Leonard Wood began as a small training post 70 years ago, but has now grown into an extensive Army Center of Excellence that trains up to 90,000 military personnel and civilians each year. It is the perfect facility for the Army to develop both leaders and warriors at a low operating cost.

Our military bases in Missouri not only provide jobs to thousands of our citizens, but the industry in our state alone is worth more than $40 billion. Fort Leonard Wood is Missouri’s 5th largest employer, supporting 36,400 direct and indirect jobs. This year, Fort Leonard Wood’s military construction program will inject another $264 million into the local economy.

This is an economic growth engine we cannot afford to lose. As a Legislature, we are committed to fight to keep these jobs in our communities. We need to support these men and women who risk their lives for our country.

This week we stood together as elected officials to show our support and urge the federal government to keep these positions and jobs here in Missouri.

I always encourage my constituents to feel free to contact me throughout the year with comments, questions or suggestions by calling my office at (573) 751-5713. To find more information about the bills I sponsor, or visit www.senate.mo.gov/brown.

Thank you for reading this and for your participation in state government.