Driscoll Tours Rock Island as Army Considers Cutting Jobs There
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois Monday to tour the facility with two of the area’s members of Congress, Quad City Times reported. In its transformation plan, the Army is considering merging two units at the installation, which the Rock Island Defense Alliance said could cut 400 jobs.
“I’m always proud to be able to show… what our neighbors here are able to do on behalf of our nation,” Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Iowa) said after the tour with Driscoll. “It’s our hard-working neighbors that support the Army day in and day out.”
North Dakota Base Battles Squirrels
Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, one of this year’s Great American Defense Communities – an ADC and USAA initiative – has established a new plan to address an issue it has battled for years: a high population of Richardson Ground Squirrels, according to Task and Purpose.
“Base leadership is aware of the noticeably increased presence of Richardson Ground Squirrels, commonly called ‘Dak-Rats,’ in base housing and the nuisance they present to residents,” the base posted in a statement on its Facebook page. “The health, safety and welfare of base residents is paramount.”
The new plan includes short-term trapping in residential areas and longer-term mitigation.
Army photo by Dori Whipple
