For every action there is a reaction.

Especially in this are when it comes to downsizing the active duty military.

The action is sequestration, the forced federal budget cuts that reduce $500 billion from planned military spending by 2021.

Congress adopted sequestration in 2011 to force a long-term budget agreement, but since then Congress has done nothing to repeal the forced budget cuts, especially those facing the military.

"There's no question that we're going to be downsizing; it's just a question of, ‘Are we going to be downsizing in a smart way?'" said Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia.

The answer came yesterday morning during a standing room only community listening session at the Clover Park Technical College's McGavick Conference Center.

"Like many of you, I am disappointed with Congress' failure to deal with the consequences of sequestration, said Michael Grayum, mayor of DuPont.

Hosted by the Army, the listening session's intent was to give the public a last opportunity to provide feedback on how the proposed reductions would impact the community and local economy.

"Your comments will help shape the decision," Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, commander, I Corps, said.

For almost three hours the public provided commentary.

The Army has hosted such sessions around the country, and is using them to help determine how it should reduce approximately 90,000 active duty soldiers from the current force level of 510,000 soldiers.

The reductions could be carried out on 30 Army posts.

Depending on the Army's decision, there could be a reduction of up to 11,000 jobs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord over the next five years.

If this happens, the South Puget Sound region would lose an estimated $970 million in annual income.

The joint base has already experienced a loss of 5,000 soldiers from a previous round of downsizing.

JBLM currently has 27,600 active-duty soldiers, about 16,000 civilian employees and about 5,000 Air Force personnel.

If the downsizing occurs at JBLM, fewer than 17,000 soldiers would remain.

"I am deeply concerned that any troop reductions will fracture out close-knit relationship," said Lonnie Howard, the college's president.

His comment was but the first that numerous business owners, education officials and local politicians reiterated during the three-hour session.

Many of the individuals who spoke pointed to the $2.4 billion the Army has already invested in JBLM; the partnerships that surrounding communities have built; the strategic significance of the base with respect to the Pacific theater of operations; the proximity of the Port of Tacoma and it's significance; and the negative economic consequences of the potential drawdown.

"Yes, a drawdown will be bad for our community economically, Lakewood Mayor Don Anderson said.  "More importantly, it will be bad for our soldiers, our Army and our national defense."

The Army's will announce its decision on downsizing in June.