Army Civilian Employees at Rock Island Arsenal Face Reassignments, Job Losses: Union

More than 100 employees informed they are now considered 'surplus' as Army implements new Command Matching Process

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:53am

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More than 100 employees at multiple organizations within the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) in Illinois have been informed that they are now considered 'surplus' employees as the U.S. Army implements a new Army Command Matching Process (ACMP) to reduce its civilian workforce. The employees may receive offers to move to other positions within the Army, but specific details have not been provided.

Why it matters

The ACMP process appears to be a follow-on effort to previous workforce reduction programs, and could lead to over 400 job losses at RIA, which has around 5,000 employees. This significant reduction in personnel is expected to have an economic impact on the Quad Cities region. The cuts are not driven by mission requirements, but by rigid numerical caps on personnel levels, raising concerns about the potential impact on the Army's ability to support its operations.

The details

The ACMP is a broader Army-wide program to reduce the size of the civilian workforce, going beyond just the merger of the Army Sustainment Command (ASC) and Joint Munitions Command (JMC) at RIA. The process avoids the regular, structured Reduction in Force (RIF) procedures and allows the Department of Army to use its own criteria for eliminating jobs. Employees in term and temporary positions will be terminated regardless of their job type or skill set.

  • On March 23, 2026, employees at RIA's ASC and JMC received email notifications about the status of their positions.
  • The original deadline for completion of the ASC and JMC merger was September 30, 2025.
  • The Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) caused more than 300,000 employees to leave the U.S. government in 2025, with over 300 of those jobs lost at RIA.
  • The ACMP could raise the job losses at RIA to more than 400 employees in a little over a year.
  • Realignment actions are underway, with some surplus employees getting job offers within the Army Materiel Command (AMC) by April 7, 2026.

The players

Steve Beck

President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 15, which represents employees at the Rock Island Arsenal.

Eric Ueland

Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, who stated that reducing the federal workforce is 'priority number one'.

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

A labor union that represents more than 800,000 federal employees and has 900 union locals across the United States.

Army Sustainment Command (ASC)

An organization at the Rock Island Arsenal responsible for logistics for the Army, ensuring soldiers have the equipment they need.

Joint Munitions Command (JMC)

An organization at the Rock Island Arsenal that manages the procurement, manufacture, and distribution of munitions for the U.S. military.

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What they’re saying

“At a time when the United States is at war, it's not clear why the Army is accelerating workforce reductions. It's particularly concerning when it comes to JMC and ASC cuts. JMC manages the procurement, manufacture, and distribution of munitions for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. These are many of the same munitions that are currently being used in Iran. ASC is the organization responsible for logistics for the Army that ensures soldiers have the equipment they need to go to war. Disrupting operations by removing employees at these organizations and other organizations within the Army could have serious implications for our fighting forces.”

— Steve Beck, President, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 15

“Even after the DRP and early retirements in 2025, the Army still has more employees than authorized positions. Essentially, there aren't enough vacant positions to offer all displaced employees replacement jobs. It's unclear what the Army's plans are for employees that don't receive any job offers. Employees that reject new job offers or are unable to relocate will be terminated within a few months of notifying their organization of their decision.”

— Steve Beck, President, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 15

What’s next

The American Federation of Government Employees Locals 15 and 2119 are actively working with Congressional staffers for Representatives Sorenson and Miller-Meeks, as well as Senators Durbin and Duckworth to request additional information about the ACMP and how it will impact the Army and RIA employees.

The takeaway

The Army's implementation of the ACMP process to reduce its civilian workforce raises concerns about the potential impact on the Army's ability to support its operations, particularly at critical organizations like the Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command. The lack of a structured and transparent process for these workforce reductions has led to uncertainty and anxiety among affected employees and the local community.