Governor John Hickenlooper spoke in support of Fort Carson Tuesday at a listening session in Colorado Springs. The forum comes as the Army looks to reduce its numbers of active-duty soldiers by at least 40,000.
The reductions could impact up to 16,000 personnel at Fort Carson. The listening session was one of 30 being held across Army bases aimed at providing input to the Pentagon before any decisions are made.
Governor Hickenlooper said Colorado has a long, proud history with the military, and provides training and support that is unique.
"Our identity, our brand here," said Hickenlooper, "is a place where from the beginning, forever, we take care of the people that serve this country in uniform."
The four-hour long forum drew civic and community leaders from throughout southern Colorado as part of a formal presentation on what the Mountain Post means to the area and what the region provides in support.
The forum also drew some protesters and critics who voiced opposition on topics ranging from Fort Carson’s controversial Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site southeast of Pueblo to Army aviation practices at the base.
