U.S. Army Cuts 24,000 Jobs

(LibertySociety.com) – The U.S. Army is undergoing a significant restructuring after multiple years of failing to fill open posts. Nearly 24,000 positions will be eliminated, including 10,000 engineering jobs related to counter-insurgency missions. Another 2,700 posts will be cut from certain units that rarely deploy. Multiple other posts and training positions will be slashed by 6,500. Around 3,000 special forces posts will also be eliminated.

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said that the Army was “moving away from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency,” and wanted “to be postured for large-scale combat operations” instead. Wormuth and Army chief, General Randy George, along with other leaders, participated in a careful analysis to decide which positions to cut.

The restructuring plan will also include an addition of 7,500 troops for air-defense missions, counter-drone units, and five global task forces that will focus on cyber, long-range strike capabilities, and intelligence. No soldiers will be asked to leave the Army, which is currently structured to have 494,000 soldiers. There are currently 445,000 active-duty soldiers, but the Army’s new plan aims to reach 470,000 within the next 5 years. The current structure was developed during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which included a large counterinsurgency mission to take on al-Qaida, the Islamic State group, and the Taliban.

In recent years, the military’s priorities have changed, with the focus shifting to competitive world powers like Russia and China. In addition, continuous threats from North Korea and Iran have risen to the forefront of concerns. The war in Ukraine has also demonstrated the importance of air defense systems, as well as high-tech abilities to counter drones in the air and water. In the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2023, the Army recruited 50,000 soldiers, falling short of its 65,000 goal. The Navy and the Air Force also failed to reach their recruitment goals, while the Marine Corps and Space Force exceeded theirs. Wormuth pointed out that Army recruitment goals have not been met since 2014.