FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Army says budget cuts could mean the loss of thousands of soldiers and employees at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth.

However, fort officials say the report released Thursday is a worst-case scenario and the reductions aren’t likely to be as severe as predicted.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the report said Fort Riley could lose 16,000 soldiers and civilian employees, with another 3,600 jobs related to the base also eliminated. The fort currently has about 20,000 soldiers and civilian employees.

The Army says Fort Leavenworth could lose 2,500 of its 5,004 employees.

Fort Riley spokesman Col. Sean Ryan says the numbers in such reports are speculation, and he does not expect the fort’s population to ever drop that low because its troops are needed too often.