While the Army has announced cuts of 40,000 troops at military bases around the country, the big installation in Missouri, Fort Leonard Wood, has dodged a major hit — for now.
But if local communities want to hedge against future troop cuts in our area, they should pay very close attention to the quality of schools in and around military installations, because the Army certainly is.
-snip-
Military base communities have plenty to lose if they can’t provide high-quality education for the children of service members as the Army pares its commitment. According to the Stimson Center, a Washington, D.C., think tank, Fort Leonard Wood is responsible for a staggering 59 percent of every dollar earned in Pulaski County. The impact of that largesse is felt around the state.
“If host communities do not offer soldiers’ children a consistently high-quality education, they risk the economic challenges that result from losing support of a major employer,” said the Stimson report.
To continue reading, click here.