NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Fort Eustis could have a smaller military footprint as the result of a proposed merger of commands, but it is unclear yet how small.

An Army official said Thursday that some of the nearly 1,000 people who are part of the Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters and the Center for Initial Military Training that is now based at Fort Eustis would be part of the merger with the Austin, Texas-based Army Futures Command.

Though it has raised the concerns of some in the community, an official said the Army would still have a robust presence at Fort Eustis.

“There will still be a substantial footprint here at Fort Eustis as the two commands merge,” said Brigadier General Jennifer Walkawicz during a briefing with media Thursday.

In an April 30 memo from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Army plans to undergo a transformation and acquisition reform, which would include streamlining its force structure, eliminating wasteful spending, modernizing inefficient defense contracts and restructuring the Army force structure.

Part of the reform includes the merger of the Army Futures Command and the Training and Doctrine Command, because, according to Hegseth’s memo, it will help “ensure strategic readiness, efficiency, and modernization.”

Army Future Command’s website states it currently has more than 17,000 personnel worldwide and works to ensure United States soldiers “remain at the forefront of technological innovation and warfighting ability.” The Training and Doctrine Command’s website states it helps train, educate and build the Army.

Walkawicz said she expects to be briefed on more details about the merger sometime in June.

As of now, she said the merger will impact only a portion of the population at Fort Eustis. Currently Training and Doctrine Command has three organizations residing on Fort Eustis. Those are its headquarters, the Center for Initial Military Training and the Training Brigade for the Aviation Maintenance.

Walkawicz said the merger would likely impact the Training and Doctrine Command headquarters and Center for Initial Military Training.

“We have over 1,500 civilians and military members, just less than 1,000 of that is part of the Army Transformation Initiative,” Walkawicz said, “and we don’t anticipate all 1,000 to go, but they are working through the positions associated with that.”

The possible loss of that many people has this military community anxious about how this could impact businesses like Los Aztecas, whose customers primarily come from Fort Eustis.

“We have about 300 or 400 people every day,” said Los Aztecas employee Marcella Reyas.

Walkawicz said those affected will have other job opportunities in the Army, whether that’s in Austin or somewhere else.

“What were doing is taking the best of both commands and merging them into something that is even better for the Army,” Walkawicz said.

Residents and business owners hope it doesn’t uproot things completely.

“The owners, they worry about it,” Reyas said. “We hope they don’t have to leave because we want them to stay coming around.”

The initial operating capability for the merger should be sometime in October. That’s when there will be a new command general taking over the reigns for both the Training and Doctrine Command and the Army Future Command.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine earlier in the week said the merger is not expected to impact personnel at Fort Eustis, where the Training and Doctrine Command is headquartered.

“Army leadership told me that, despite the merger of [Training and Doctrine] Command and Army Futures Command, [Training and Doctrine Command] operations will remain at Fort Eustis with no significant change to personnel levels,” Kaine said. “This will provide continuity for servicemembers, their families, contractors and the Hampton Roads community. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue to monitor the situation to make sure these assurances are upheld.”

A Training and Doctrine Command spokesperson said Tuesday that no final decisions have been made about relocating it as part of the Army Transformative Initiative.

“While it has been announced that the new command’s four-star headquarters will be located in Austin, Texas, no decisions have been made regarding the relocation of [Training and Doctrine Command] functions or personnel,” said Sgt. Maj. Jason Stadel. “Reports suggesting otherwise are speculative and not based on official decisions. [Training and Doctrine Command] continues to operate at Fort Eustis, delivering essential training and doctrine support to the force.”

The full release of the Army Transformation and Acquisition Reform can be read in full below: