Army will cut combat brigades
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army plans to slash the number of combat brigades from 45 to as low as 32 in a broad restructuring of its fighting force aimed at cutting costs and reducing the service by about 80,000 soldiers, said U.S. officials familiar with the plans.
Officials said the changes likely will increase the size of each combat brigade – generally by adding another battalion – in a long-term effort to ensure remaining brigades have the fighting capabilities they need in war. A brigade is usually about 3,500 soldiers, but it can be as large as 5,000 for heavily armored units. A battalion is usually between 600-800 soldiers.
The brigade restructuring will unfold over several years and is intended to save money without eroding the military’s ability to protect the country and wage war when needed. Army officials contend that while there eventually would be fewer brigades, building them bigger will give them more capabilities and depth and reduce stress on the units.
They said specialty units, such as Army special operations forces, would not be affected by the cuts.
Reducing brigades also will eliminate headquarters that oversee them.
Officials acknowledged that merging battalions into larger brigades could shift some soldiers to different bases, although that effort could be stymied by members of Congress who don’t like to see the staffing decline at bases that feed the local economy. Officials said the Army will limit such shifts.
The cuts come as the Pentagon finishes its Fiscal Year 2013 budget, which must reflect about $260 billion in savings in its five-year plan. Congress has ordered the Defense Department to come up with a total of $487 billion over the next 10 years, and it could face cuts of double that amount if Congress can’t reach an agreement to avoid automatic across-the-board reductions mandated by lawmakers last year.
Officials spoke about the budget plans on condition of anonymity because they have not been made public.
Military leaders, from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on down, insist they will come up with the budget cuts without hurting the force’s effectiveness. In fact, many of the top Army leaders responsible for the budget were around when massive budget cuts after the Vietnam War left Army units badly undermanned and ill-equipped.
