Army to Cut 8,700 Jobs; 37 States Will be Affected

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that the Department of Army is following through with its plans to cut the number of civilian employees in its workforce.

The Army announced on Thursday that it will be moving forward with the plans announced in July, to reduce the civilian workforce by approximately 8,700 positions by Sept. 30, 2012.

The Army has said it has identified 70 different locations that are affected by the reductions located across eight commands and agencies. Nearly 90 percent of the cuts are taking place within Installation Management Command, Army Materiel Command, and Training and Doctrine Command, the release noted.

Thirty seven states will be affected by these reductions. The majority of personnel cuts will take place in states with the largest military and Army civilian populations, the Defense Department stated.

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, Thomas R. Lamont, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said in a statement. To the maximum extent possible, the Army will rely on voluntary departures to achieve these manpower reductions.

Commanders will be able to use voluntary early retirement offers among other measures to cut jobs, the release noted.