October 13
Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, participate in the live-fire exercise “Bronco Rumble” in May 2013. The Army has unveiled a new operating concept known as Unified Land Operations, designed to fight battles on multiple fronts. (Sgt. Brian Erickson/ U.S. Army)
Cuts currently planned to the U.S. Army may pose problems as it takes a leading role in security crises emerging around the world, including the fight against the Islamic State militant group and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said the service’s top officer.
Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, chief of staff of the Army, said he is “starting to worry about our end strength,” a reference to the number of soldiers in the service. The Pentagon said in February that it would cut the Army to between 440,000 and 450,000 troops, its smallest size since before World War II. But “the world is changing in front of us” since those statements were made, Odierno said.
“We have to have a national security debate, because there is too much going on around the world,” he said.
His comments — made at the annual conference of the Association of the United States Army in Washington — come as the Army takes a leading role in both the U.S. response to the crises in Iraq and West Africa. Two-star Army generals will lead the response to both missions, with soldiers making up a bulk of both forces.
Odierno also spoke following the recent release of a new Army operating concept that will alter how the service prepares for the future. Titled “Win in a Complex World,” it calls for the Army to take a leading role in managing joint operations involving other branches of the armed forces, with adaptable combinations of conventional and Special Operations troops.
The Army has made a number of tough decisions as the Pentagon copes with a budget crunch after more than a decade of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. That has included a controversial restructuring of Army aviation that removes all Apache attack helicopters from Army National Guard units, but leaves those units with multi-use Black Hawk helicopters. The plan has infuriated some state governors and members of Congress, who want to keep the Apaches in their states.
Odierno noted Monday that, under the aviation plan, the active-duty Army would also cut the number of its combat aviation brigades from 13 to 10. Hundreds of the Black Hawks in those units would be sent to the Reserve, saving the Army money at a crucial time, Army officials say.
Dan Lamothe covers national security for The Washington Post and anchors its military blog, Checkpoint.
No comments:
Post a Comment