This is a breaking news story via a United States media report, more information will be published as it is made available.

Stay tuned to the blog for any and all updates.

UPDATE via the BBC:

The cost-cutting exercise will also see an additional 17,000 civilian employees cut from the army.

The reported plan would see the US troop level drop to about 450,000 soldiers by the end of 2017.

The US army had about 570,000 troops in 2012 at the height of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.