Obama’s Military Cuts Could Cost Army Half of its Combat Brigades, Destroying Readiness

Photo Credit: opposingviews.comThe Army could need to cut brigade combat teams — the Army’s self-sustainable deploying units — nearly in half to accommodate the Pentagon’s plans to slice the Army’s size to below 450,000 soldiers after 2017.

Gen. John Campbell, the Army’s vice chief of staff and second-highest ranking member, in an exclusive interview with The Hill said the service was already planning to reduce its combat brigades, basic Army units of 5,000 soldiers that can be deployed and sustain themselves overseas.

The brigades were scheduled to reduce from 45 in 2013 to 32 by 2015, but now the number will shrink further. “That 32 is tied to 490,000, not 450,000. … At 450,000 or 420,000 we can’t keep the same amount,” Campbell said…

Cutting active-duty brigades by that much could dramatically alter U.S. capabilities overseas…

It would leave the Pentagon with fewer brigades to deploy around the world for military and humanitarian work. It would also reduce opportunities for training, and could limit U.S. support for some international missions.

Read more about Obama’s military cuts HERE.