OLYMPIA — The U.S. Department of Defense is giving a $4.3 million grant to Washington state in an effort to address the potential economic effects of planned personnel cuts at Joint Base Lewis McChord.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced the grant Thursday, and his office said that the money is matched by more than $500,000 in state and local dollars through the Washington Military Alliance.
The Army is studying the effects of force reductions at bases around the country. The review assumes a loss of about 16,000 soldiers and civilian workers at Lewis-McChord from the base’s peak staffing level in 2011. Lewis-McChord has already been reduced by about 5,400.
Officials say the federal grant will be used to create a plan to minimize the effects of the downsizing on regional businesses and communities.
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