Ft. Carson To Lose 77 Civilian Jobs In Nationwide Cuts

The Department of Army announced Thursday it is moving forward with plans to reduce the size of its civilian employee workforce nationwide.

Fort Carson officials say that there are 77 civilian positions that are being cut locally as a result of this. Those positions are being cut primarily through retirement and attrition. The reduction of the 77 positions must be met by Oct. 1, 2012. Officials say there is no particular area from which these cuts will come.

In July, the Army announced a planned reduction of approximately 8,700 positions nationwide by Sept. 30, 2012. These cuts are based on Department of Defense resource decisions as reflected in the fiscal 2012 President’s Budget and require a reduction of Army civilian employees to comply with decreased funding levels.

Thirty seven states are affected by these reductions with the majority of personnel cuts occurring in those states with the largest military and Army civilian populations.

“Army commands and agencies are continuing to take necessary actions to reduce their civilian on-board strength to meet funded targets established by the secretary of defense and reflected in the President’s Budget,” said Thomas R. Lamont, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs. “To the maximum extent possible, the Army will rely on voluntary departures to achieve these manpower reductions.”