U.S. Army cutting thousands of jobs, about 5% of its force
OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:25 PM – Tuesday, February 27, 2024
As the U.S. Army faces recruiting shortages and struggles to fill all necessary positions, it is undergoing a restructuring to enhance its readiness for future conflicts. This includes reducing its force by approximately 24,000 soldiers, or nearly 5%.
The majority of the cuts will be made to currently vacant positions, such as counter-insurgency roles that were in high demand during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Army special operations personnel will be most affected, with nearly 3,000 layoffs.
However, the plan also includes adding 7,500 soldiers for vital roles in counter-drone and air defense units, as well as establishing five new task forces with improved cyber, intelligence, and long-range attack capabilities stationed worldwide.
An Army document acknowledges that the military is currently “overstructured” and lacks sufficient personnel to fully staff existing units. The cuts are aimed at eliminating excess positions rather than removing soldiers from the army.
This decision reflects the Army’s struggle to fill thousands of unfilled positions in recent years. Despite a maximum capacity of 494,000 personnel, there are currently only around 445,000 active-duty soldiers. The new plan aims to reach 470,000 troops within the next five years.
The Army’s rapid expansion during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars necessitated this restructuring. The focus has now shifted to challenges posed by Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia.
Army authorities have thoroughly assessed every job specialty and identified areas for reduction. They have also considered the ongoing efforts to modernize the Army with advanced weaponry when determining where additional personnel should be allocated.
The plan involves eliminating approximately 10,000 positions related to counterinsurgency operations, 6,500 from various training and support roles, and 2,700 from units that have limited deployment requirements.
Security force assistance brigades, infantry brigade combat teams, cavalry squadrons, and Stryker brigade combat teams—which train foreign forces—will see around 10,000 positions cut.
With these changes, the Army aims to enhance its capabilities for large-scale combat operations against technologically advanced adversaries. However, the recruitment challenges faced by the armed forces as a whole remain significant.
In the most recent fiscal year, the Marine Corps and the Space Force met their recruitment targets, while the Army, Navy, and Air Force fell short. The Army recruited just over 50,000 members, far below the goal of 65,000.
Efforts to improve recruitment, particularly among younger candidates with college education or early careers, have been initiated. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has acknowledged the Army’s long-standing recruitment struggles, stating that yearly enlistment targets have not been met since 2014.
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What is the main reason behind the U.S. Army’s current restructuring and reduction in force?
In the U.S. Army, have become a top priority as the military faces challenges in filling all necessary positions. To address this issue and enhance readiness for future conflicts, the Army is undergoing a restructuring that includes a reduction in force of approximately 24,000 soldiers, or nearly 5%.
The majority of these cuts will be made to currently vacant positions, such as counter-insurgency roles that were in high demand during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Army special operations personnel will be most affected, with nearly 3,000 layoffs. However, the plan also includes adding 7,500 soldiers for vital roles in counter-drone and air defense units, as well as establishing five new task forces with improved cyber, intelligence, and long-range attack capabilities stationed worldwide.
This decision reflects the Army’s recognition that it is currently “overstructured” and lacks sufficient personnel to fully staff existing units. The goal of these cuts is to eliminate excess positions rather than removing soldiers from the army. In recent years, the Army has struggled to fill thousands of unfilled positions, despite having a maximum capacity of 494,000 personnel. Currently, there are only around 445,000 active-duty soldiers. The new plan aims to reach 470,000 troops within the next five years.
The need for this restructuring arises from the Army’s rapid expansion during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The focus has now shifted to the challenges posed by Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia. Army authorities have thoroughly assessed every job specialty and identified areas for reduction while also considering ongoing efforts to modernize the Army with advanced weaponry.
The plan involves eliminating approximately 10,000 positions related to counterinsurgency operations, 6,500 from various training and support roles, and 2,700 from units that have limited deployment requirements. Security force assistance brigades, infantry brigade combat teams, cavalry squadrons, and Stryker brigade combat teams, which train foreign forces, will see around 10,000 positions cut.
With these changes, the Army aims to enhance its capabilities for large-scale combat operations against technologically advanced adversaries. However, the recruitment challenges faced by the armed forces as a whole remain significant. In the most recent fiscal year, the Marine Corps and the Space Force met their recruitment targets, while the Army, Navy, and Air Force fell short. The Army recruited just over 50,000 members, far below the goal of 65,000.
Efforts to improve recruitment, particularly in the Army, continue to be a priority. The military recognizes the need to attract and retain qualified individuals to fill its ranks and meet the demands of an ever-evolving global security landscape. By restructuring and aligning its forces with current and future threats, the Army aims to ensure its readiness and effectiveness in future conflicts.
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