Counties surrounding Fort Knox are working to lessen their reliance on the post in the face of military cutbacks.
A study is underway to determine how the region might diversify to improve the local economy. Wendell Lawrence, executive director of the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, says discussions like this are happening across the country.
"It is Army wide because the end strength seems to be going down quite frequently, and when you have cutbacks in strength, it affects units and installations," Lawrence told WKU Public Radio.
Fort Knox has lost at least 2,3000 soldiers since 2010, in addition to their family members and civilian employees.
Lawrence says cutbacks at Fort Knox have the potential to affect more than 150,000 residents of Hardin, Larue, and Meade counties.
He added that the region has several assets as it looks to diversify, including manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.
