US Army, Odierno announces BCT reductions; 45 to 33 over the next 5 years

[CountDeMoney]

As the GWOT land commitments wind down, Mahan lives once again as balance is returned to the American military focus, from a land-based to a sea-based posture.

The Army announced yesterday that it would cut the size of its force by 80,000, amounting to the biggest organizational change since World War II. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said he would eliminate combat forces from 10 bases over the next five years, or, perhaps, sooner. Odierno will cut from 45 to 33 the number of brigade combat teams. The cuts will affect bases in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Washington. The Army had already announced that two brigades in Germany would be eliminated. But more cuts are likely. Defense officials and experts have hinted that the Army could find itself as small as 450,000 or lower at some point, likely forcing fundamental organizational changes to its structure. Most cuts will be through attrition. Odierno, at a Pentagon news conference yesterday: "There is going to be another reduction... "There is no away around it."

The list from AP, here.

FORT BRAGG, N.C.
The home of the 82nd Airborne Division and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center will lose the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 82nd.

FORT STEWART, Ga.
The 3rd Infantry Division will lose its 2nd Armored Brigade. One of the division's existing brigades will remain at Fort Benning, Ga.

FORT HOOD, Texas
The Army's largest domestic base will lose the 4th Armored Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division.

FORT BLISS, Texas
The home of the 1st Armored Division will lose the 1st Armored Brigade.

FORT CARSON, Colo.
The home of the 4th Infantry Division will lose its 3rd Armored Brigade.

FORT RILEY, Kan.
The home of the 1st Infantry Division will lose its 4th Infantry Brigade.

FORT KNOX, Ky.
The 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Infantry Brigade also will be eliminated.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.
The home of the 101st Airborne Division will lose its 4th Infantry Brigade.

FORT DRUM, N.Y.
The 10th Mountain Division will lose its 3rd Infantry Brigade at Drum but its 4th Infantry Brigade, which is based at Fort Polk, La., will remain.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army's 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division. The division's 1st Armored Brigade will remain in South Korea, as will the division's headquarters.

GERMANY
The 170th Heavy Brigade at Baumholder, Germany, will be eliminated, as will the 172nd Heavy Brigade at Grafenwoehr, Germany. Remaining in Europe is the 173rd Airborne Brigade, at Vicenza, Italy.

[Caliga]

FORT KNOX, Ky.
The 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Infantry Brigade also will be eliminated.

If this means all of the.... 'Thoroughbred' Lounges close Cal is gonna have to choke a bitch.

[FunkMonk]

Finally.

[Ed Anger]

Read somewhere that each remaining brigade will get an extra battalion.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Is there a tradeoff here? Fewer combat brigades but more special forces adn such like Rumsfeld meant to do before 9/11?

[MadImmortalMan]

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army's 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Siege?

[CountDeMoney]

Is there a tradeoff here? Fewer combat brigades but more special forces adn such like Rumsfeld meant to do before 9/11?

I don't know about that, but the Army's operational budgetary loss is the Navy and Marine Corps' gains, especially with the Asian Pivot and as they continue to flesh out of the AirSea Battle/JOAC doctrine.

[The Brain]

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army's 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Siege?

He's a screaming beagle.

[Siege]

Dam, they are cutting The Raiders, 4th BDE 2nd ID.
Five years of my life expent wearing their patch on my shoulder.
Why are they cutting a good brigade?
It appears they are cutting the last infantry brigade of each infantry division, or dropping the armor brigade of each mechanized division. Faggots at the Pent should have kept in mind performance and history.

Said that, 4th BDE 101 AB is really the worst brigade in the 101.

[Siege]

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army’s 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Siege?

He's a screaming beagle.

I'm at Ft Campbell with the Rakkasans now, 3 BDE/101 ABN, but I was at Ft Lewis with the Raiders, 4 BDE/2 ID.

[The Brain]

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army's 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Siege?

He's a screaming beagle.

I'm at Ft Campbell with the Rakkasans now, 3 BDE/101 ABN, but I was at Ft Lewis with the Raiders, 4 BDE/2 ID.

Yes, and it was glorious.

[Phillip V]

Property prices are already crashing where I live near Fort Bragg, so I welcome further crashing and less traffic + troublesome Soldiers.

[Neil]

Well, I suppose it's a start.  Makes more sense to roll up the USAF though.

[mongers]

Property prices are already crashing where I live near Fort Bragg, so I welcome further crashing and less traffic + troublesome Soldiers.

[CdM]

They'll crash even further when the ChinComs invade. 

[/CdM]

[Siege]

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.
The home of the Army’s 1st Corps, whose operational focus is the Korean peninsula, will lose the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Siege?

He's a screaming beagle.

I'm at Ft Campbell with the Rakkasans now, 3 BDE/101 ABN, but I was at Ft Lewis with the Raiders, 4 BDE/2 ID.

Yes, and it was glorious.

Suck my dick, faggot.