Blake Hall
The Army has fired 80,000 soldiers since 2010, and it will sack another 40,000 by 2017. In the wake of President Obama’s veto of the 2016 defense bill, an Army report addressing Congress says the branch will probably have to let go even more soldiers due to budget restraints.
“Nearly every Army installation will experience reductions of some size,” the report said.
The report, originally sent to Congress and then obtained by the National Federation of Scientists through a Freedom of Information Act Request, said that the Army’s budget would be further cut in 2018. In terms of troop levels, this would translate to a 21 percent decrease in soldiers across the board and result in a “permanent reduction” in Army strength.
“These force structure reductions and the resulting impacts on installation populations could be significant to both military communities and to the defense posture of our nation,” the report warns.
The document also estimated reduced troop numbers at every major Army installation.
