In his first two town hall meetings recently, Col. Samuel Curtis, Fort Sill Garrison commander, addressed topics as wide-ranging as Army budget cuts and Fort Sill Garrison restructure, the federal REAL ID Act, the 52nd Street Gate closure; cuts in Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation services; and the closure of the post's stray animal facility.

"I look at this town hall as one of many efforts to increase dialogue, to hear your concerns, and also as a mechanism for myself and the directors here (in the front rows) to communicate what's on our mind," said Curtis at the first meeting Nov. 16 at Sheridan Theater. The second town hall was Nov. 18.

"There's been a lot of change in IMCOM (Installation Manage-ment Command) over the last year," he said during a 40-minute presentation before the question-and-answer session. Those changes include reorganization and a 20-percent reduction in staffing at the IMCOM headquarters level, headed by Lt. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, IMCOM commanding general.

Addressing the recent garrison restructure and "over hire" situation affecting the Fort Sill Garrison, he said IMCOM garrisons were told to take a 5-percent cut by the fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget, which is being implemented in FY 2017. The authorizations (job positions) lost since FY 2015 total 92.

The current number of employees in an over hire status is 27. While some of those positions were already vacant and had no impact on the workforce, there are 27 employees who are impacted by the reductions. Based on normal attrition, employees moving into other jobs, voluntary early retirement or separation, organization restructure and management directed reassignment, we have found opportunities for 13 employees to be placed. The garrison is working hard to place the remaining 14 before the Sept. 30, 2018 deadline.

"We will work to find a job for those who want a job," said Curtis. "For those 14 we haven't placed, we will find a job. As a family business, we're trying to be as sympathetic as we can."

"That will be accomplished through a work group composed of personnel from the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, the Directorate of Human Resources (DHR), and the garrison manpower office," said James Miller, DHR director.

"We are looking at postwide vacancies, hiring actions that an excess employee may qualify for, retraining employees and creating additional vacancies through separation incentives that allow us to place excess employees into positions elsewhere in the garrison. The process is as objective and nonbiased as we can make it," said Curtis.

He said the results of the recent command climate survey showed many of the 206 respondents (out of 1,046 garrison military and civilian personnel) wrote in comments on topics of trust, respect, leadership, communication, pay equity and career progression. Ninety percent enjoy their job, but two-thirds of them feel physically, mentally or emotionally worn out, according to the survey.

In addition to the normal stresses of making ends meet and raising a family, the results of the survey could also indicate the effects of several years of budget cuts.

"We have the same workload but less people doing it," said Curtis, who advised anyone who feels stressed to take leave or seek help. "We are counselor-rich at Fort Sill. If you feel that way, talk to someone."

Five of the respondents said they felt they had experienced some form of discrimination.

"If you experience that, raise it up to my level, and we'll take care of it," said Curtis.

One of the questions from the audience concerned the federal REAL ID Act which requires state-issued driver's licenses and state ID cards to have enhanced digital identification information. Oklahoma is one of several states and territories that has not complied with the REAL ID law.

Curtis said work is ongoing with the post's legal staff to allow certain types of alternative identification documents to be accepted in addition to a noncompliant state ID at the Visitor Control Center once the law is fully implemented.

"There is angst in the community and we're aware of it," he said. "The mayor asks me about it almost every time I see him."

He said he hopes to move away from issuing 30-day passes to giving one-year photo ID passes to visitors.

"We have to balance keeping the post safe and secure with interacting with the community," said Curtis.

The recent closure of the 52nd Street Gate was brought up through a question from an audience member with a suggestion to open it from 6-8 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Applause in the audience confirmed the closure was unpopular, and Curtis said it was the No. 1 ICE (Interactive Customer Eval-uation) comment for the Directorate of Emergency Services.

He said they are looking at reopening the gate, but at reduced hours (5 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

Curtis was asked at the second meeting about the "strategic pause" in $105 million funding cuts Army-wide to Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs, which were due to take effect Oct. 1, of this year.

The pause offers leaders a harder look at the cuts and how they can be mitigated, he said, but each quarter of the pause costs IMCOM about $20 million.

Brenda Spencer-Ragland, FMWR director, said, "The good news is we are in a better posture than a lot of places."

Her department instituted a hiring freeze early on to avoid having to cut as much. Hours at Nye Library were also reduced based on customer use.

"Because of pro-activeness, it saved us," Spencer- Ragland said afterward. She also said that being able to charge fees for many of the services offered helps fund the programs.

The Fort Sill Stray Animal Facility is scheduled to close sometime in January, said Curtis. Army Medical Command, which encompasses veterinary services and the stray facilities, is no longer able to fund the facility. Fort Sill is working on an agreement with the city of Lawton to have animals sent to its shelter.

Curtis said the city's animal shelter has improved considerably over the last year and is now close to being categorized as a "no-kill shelter."

Curtis said he intends to hold town hall meetings quarterly in the future. He said after his first 100 days as garrison commander, he is pleased with what he sees at Fort Sill.

"This is probably the hardest working group of government employees I've seen in my 23 years of service. The Fort Sill community appreciates all you do," said Curtis.

To share a concern or comment about Fort Sill, tell the garrison commander at usarmy.sill.imcom-west.mbx.paio-tellthegarrisoncommander@mail.mil.