Wednesday, May 22, 2013

News
Alabama National Guard closing many armories


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Citing smaller military forces, changing needs and budget constraints, Alabama's National Guard is closing armories across the state.

The Tuscaloosa News reports (http://bit.ly/KUWEJ3 ) that the National Guard announced that it would close 13 armories. Some were built in the 1950s and the newspaper reports that many are aging and substandard.

Maj. Gen. Perry Smith, Alabama's adjutant general, announced in November that armories in Georgiana, Greenville, Grove Hill, Hartselle, Heflin, Linden, Lineville, Millport, Moulton, Ozark, Thomasville, Union Springs and Wetumpka would be closed.

The state's military department said last week it has already closed 11 of them. That leaves only those in Linden and Hartselle. The Fort Hill McManus Boggs armory in Linden is scheduled to close before Sept. 30.

Some lawmakers say they're working to try to stop some closings.

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Information from: The Tuscaloosa News, http://www.tuscaloosanews.com