US Army to reduce troop numbers by 5% for greater capacity in large-scale warfare
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The US Army is reducing its manpower by 24,000, or nearly 5%, and restructuring to be better equipped to fight the next major war, according to Associated Press.
The US Army is struggling with a recruitment shortage that makes it impossible to recruit enough soldiers to fill all vacancies.
The cuts will affect mostly empty positions rather than actual soldiers, particularly in counterinsurgency positions, which were abundant during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but are not as needed today. About 3,000 people will be laid off in the army's special operations forces.
At the same time, according to the plan, about 7,500 soldiers will be added to perform other critical tasks, including air defense and anti-drone units, as well as five new task forces around the world with expanded cyber, intelligence, and long-range strike capabilities.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said she and Gen. Randy George, the Army chief, have been working to reduce the number of places where they were empty or redundant.
"We’re moving away from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency. We want to be postured for large-scale combat operations," Wormuth says.
According to an Army document, the service is "significantly overstructured" and does not have enough soldiers to fill the available units.
According to the new plan, the goal is to recruit enough troops over the next five years to reach the 470,000 level.
