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Deactivation of 159th Combat Aviation Brigade Will Cut Fort Campbell Population By 2,400

U.S. Army

The Department of Defense will deactivate the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell, according to a statement released by three members of Kentucky's congressional delegation.  It’s a move that will drop the Fort Campbell soldier population by nearly 2,500 to 26,500 by the end of 2015, according to various media reports.

The move did not come as a complete surprise.  In March, the Army announced it would be losing three combat brigades. 

Still, three Kentucky Republican lawmakers expressed dismay with the move.  Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, along with Congressman Ed Whitfield released a statement saying they were “deeply disappointed by the Obama administration’s decision."  They called it “bad news for our nation’s security and for the local Fort Campbell community.”

The award-winning news team at WKU Public Radio consists of Dan Modlin, Kevin Willis, Lisa Autry, and Joe Corcoran.
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