(WICHITA, Kan.)
A third of Wichita's National Guard armories will be closed by the middle of next year. The move comes as a result of state budget cuts.
Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting plans to close 18 of the state's 56 National Guard armories, saving the guard more than $400,00 over the next few years.
LTC Dana Duggins tells Eyewitness News, "Although it wasn't a surprise to us, we didn't know before yesterday."
LTC. Duggins is one of 23 people who staff one of Wichita's three armories. He says they won't know if their armory, near Central and Edgemoor, will be one of the 18 until next month.
The changes mean that 19 full-time National Guard soldiers will be reassigned to other armories, while 678 soldiers will be forced to go to other locations for regular drills.
