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Overnight Defense: Army Cutting Combat Brigades
The Hill ^ | Thursday, March 13, 2014 | Kristina Wong and Jeremy Herb

Posted on 03/13/2014 6:33:40 PM PDT by kristinn

Army cutting combat brigades: The 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.

Campbell did not say exactly how few active-duty brigades the Army could afford to have with the smaller forces.

A Feb. 28 report from the Congressional Research Service cited an Army briefing in suggesting active-duty brigades could be cut to 24 with an Army of 420,000 soldiers in 2019.

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

For example, the Army might not be able to keep two active-duty brigades in Europe.

That would send a negative signal to Eastern Europe, where fears about Russia have grown with that country’s military intervention in Ukraine.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: johncampbell; obama; usarmy
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1 posted on 03/13/2014 6:33:40 PM PDT by kristinn
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To: kristinn

Obama and his MarxoFascists are making sure that we can be conquered by Paraguay.

It’s called the ‘redistribution of strength’.

His Heinous intends for the US of A to end up at the bottom of the nations by the time he’s finished.

Put another way - Obama is not going to rest until we are ashes under the feet of the rest of the world.


2 posted on 03/13/2014 6:41:30 PM PDT by INVAR ("Fart for liberty, fart for freedom and fart proudly!" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: kristinn

Meanwhile support for illegals and welfare continues unabated.


3 posted on 03/13/2014 6:42:19 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: kristinn

Makes sense. Under the Obamabastard we are steadily losing anything worth fighting to protect - our rights, our families and our possessions.

Why do we need a military anyway?


4 posted on 03/13/2014 6:42:27 PM PDT by ZULU (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: kristinn

Since WWII we’ve made it a policy to be able to fight a two-front war. Obama is changing that so we’re not even able to fight a one-front one.


5 posted on 03/13/2014 6:47:26 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: kristinn

And the idiots like to discuss force multipliers.

As if it doesn’t work the other way. Congrats, you have a ship that takes the place of 4 others. So when the enemy sinks 1 it’s like wiping out 5 ships.

The whole point of better tech and weapons is so we can have overwhelming superiority easier. It’s not a damn challenge to see how much DC can cut.


6 posted on 03/13/2014 6:48:37 PM PDT by Bogey78O (We had a good run. Coulda been great still.)
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To: ZULU

We have women and homosexuals infecting our army. It is rotting from the inside.


7 posted on 03/13/2014 6:51:07 PM PDT by SADMILLIE
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To: kristinn

Isn’t it very odd that you’re not reading about such slashing cuts to other agencies like, Education, Labor, etc. DoD, no problem.


8 posted on 03/13/2014 6:51:08 PM PDT by USNA74
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To: Bogey78O

you may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and wipe it clean of life—but if you desire to defend it, protect it and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman legions did, by putting your young men in the mud. ”


9 posted on 03/13/2014 6:54:28 PM PDT by redlegplanner ( No Representation without Taxation)
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To: kristinn

In World War II the United States had 20 Armored divisions, 2 Cavalry divisions, about 92 Infantry divisions and six Marine divisions, not to mention separate brigades, regiments and other assorted units. Three brigades normally make up one division. Yes, we’ve declined that far. At its peak, the Army (including the Air Forces) totaled 8,267,958 and the Navy 3,380,817 while the Marine Corps had 474,680
and the Coast Guard (part of the Navy in wartime) encompassed 85,783 personnel.


10 posted on 03/13/2014 6:56:50 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: SADMILLIE

“We have women and homosexuals infecting our army. It is rotting from the inside.”

Excuse Me! There are many women who have served the USA in the military with honors. So many have nursed our soldiers back to health, supported our officers as well as being some, and sexism isn’t the right way to approach the women who have served their country well. Many of those women have saved lives and been the backbone of service deployment and communication.
I supposed you want them at home..barefoot and pregnant?
Good Grief!

To object to the latter is understandable, however, we are talking about gender when it comes to women, not morality. In Israel every person serves at the age of 18 unless excluded for certain reasons.


11 posted on 03/13/2014 6:57:34 PM PDT by Kackikat
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To: kristinn

How can this be happening with all the political support we get from libertarians?

Just kidding.


12 posted on 03/13/2014 6:59:06 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Libertarianism offers the transitory concepts and dialogue to move from conservatism, to liberalism)
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To: kristinn
Meanwhile, Hsi Chin-p’ing and Vladimir build up their respective militaries unabated and unhindered.


13 posted on 03/13/2014 7:00:14 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: kristinn

Obama is living in Bizarro World. Here he is threatening Russia in Crimera on the one hand, and cutting brigades on the other hand. We need to be staffing more divisions and corps at this point in time. A few boutique brigades with TG’s and gays will be no match against the Ruskies.


14 posted on 03/13/2014 7:00:17 PM PDT by batterycommander (a little more rubble, a lot less trouble)
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To: Kackikat

No!!! I want them Nursing!!


15 posted on 03/13/2014 7:23:12 PM PDT by SADMILLIE
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To: kristinn

Only once in our history have we needed a militia more.


16 posted on 03/13/2014 7:30:39 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (".....Barrack, and the horse Mohammed rode in on.")
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To: kristinn
This takes the US Army from being able to deal with two, hot, mid-sized wars at the same time...to one.

And that one precariously.

Air Force is saddled with worn out equipment. Same with Army and Marines.

Navy doing OK from an aging equipment measure, but the number are far, far too low.

Still they cut.

Any General Officer who supports this nonsense should be cached.

And the congressmen who vote for it should be tried in a court of the people for the highest charge anyone can come up with.

Followed by the most severe punishment legally allowed.

17 posted on 03/13/2014 7:31:44 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: SADMILLIE

Exactly!


18 posted on 03/13/2014 9:53:57 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: Kackikat

Woman should not be in combat units.


19 posted on 03/13/2014 9:54:52 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: kristinn

At a time when Russia and China are building up their armies, we are reducing ours.

And Kerry threatens Putin... with a toothpick. Ouch! That will really hurt him! ;)


20 posted on 03/13/2014 10:13:05 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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