U.S. Army to slash jobs in Europe

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army in Europe said it will cut 1,000 civilian jobs in the next year with more reductions to come, amid budget cuts and the winding down of two wars.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the Army Installation Management Command-Europe commander, said seven garrisons will be downsized and three garrisons eliminated, the Stars and Stripes reported Tuesday.

The IMCOM-E will slash 606 civilian positions, 401 of those slated for local nationals, and 205 Army civilian jobs, the newspaper said.

The U.S. Army In Europe will slash 432 civilian jobs -- 214 earmarked for Army civilians and 218 targeted for local nationals, officials said.

"Managers within the headquarters were given the flexibility to look at their operations and assess for themselves which positions could be eliminated without threatening the mission," a USAREUR press release said.

IMCOM-E and USAREUR authorities said they were "flattening the organizations" by targeting redundant or unnecessary positions, with the resultant cuts going largely unnoticed by most soldiers and their families.

"We're not cutting programs and services," USAREUR spokesman Joe Garvey said.