Saturday, January 28, 2012

Army Reduction about 100,000


WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 27, 2012) -- The Army will draw down in size by as many as 80,000 Soldiers over the next six years. That reduction includes the elimination of at least eight brigade combat teams.

The Army expects an active force end strength reduction from 570,000 to 490,000, said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, during a press briefing, Jan. 27, at the Pentagon.

The general said the time is "strategically right" to reduce the Army's force structure, but stressed that it would be done the right way.

"Even given a fiscally constrained environment our Army will accomplish our reductions in a responsible and controlled manner," Odierno said. "Secretary McHugh and I are committed to ensuring we walk down this hill at the ready, rather than running our nation's Army off a cliff."

Odierno said the Army would execute force reduction measures by following a "drawdown ramp that allows us to take care of Soldiers and families, while maintaining a ready and capable force to meet any requirements, including our current operations in Afghanistan."

Most of that force reduction, Odierno said, would come from attrition.

Read more here.

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