# Army Chief of Staff "Comfortable" With Pending Cuts



## Marauder06 (Jan 26, 2012)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4614414...ortable-smaller-force-pentagon-prepares-cuts/

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army chief said he is "comfortable" with plans to shrink the size of his force as the Pentagon prepares to slash eight brigades as part of defense cuts worth $260 billion over five years.

Eight brigades??? Ouch, we're going to feel that one.  Get ready for slowdowns and reductions in everything from promotions to training opportunities to operational capabilities, and brace for a return to the "zero defects" Army.


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## goon175 (Jan 26, 2012)

Shit's gettin' real!


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## AWP (Jan 26, 2012)

We need to trim 8 brigades of fobbits, not infantry. Seriously. I think the Army should take a long, hard look at TO&E's rather than units. A "deploy everyone" mentality is one reason rear areas have the problems that they do.

The Army is looking for a Cold War solution to what is essentially a new problem.


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## goon175 (Jan 26, 2012)

Why do we have cook's when we pay contractors to cook?
Why do we have MP's when contracted companies provide security?
Why do we have Laundry and Bath specialists...period? (yes thats a real MOS - 92S)

I could go on and on....but in essence I am agreeing with Freefalling


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## DA SWO (Jan 26, 2012)

How many Brigades were added under Bush?  I assume this is how the cuts started, are we going deeper then that?


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## digrar (Jan 26, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> We need to trim 8 brigades of fobbits, not infantry. Seriously. I think the Army should take a long, hard look at TO&E's rather than units. A "deploy everyone" mentality is one reason rear areas have the problems that they do.
> 
> The Army is looking for a Cold War solution to what is essentially a new problem.


 
It would be a massive move, but has anyone looked at how a Commonwealth Brigade runs, lean and mean (mean in a short arms long pockets sense, which leads to an over all grumpy disposition when you can never get what you ask for)... From an outsider looking in you guys specialise a fair bit, work shops for example are a lot larger becasue tradies are not as multi skilled, even in an Infantry sense, we all join as 11B equivalent, it's only later as more experienced soldiers that we split off and gain sig/mortars/heavy weapons/pioneer/recon skills.


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## Crusader74 (Jan 26, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4614414...ortable-smaller-force-pentagon-prepares-cuts/
> 
> WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army chief said he is "comfortable" with plans to shrink the size of his force as the Pentagon prepares to slash eight brigades as part of defense cuts worth $260 billion over five years.
> 
> Eight brigades??? Ouch, we're going to feel that one. Get ready for slowdowns and reductions in everything from promotions to training opportunities to operational capabilities, and brace for a return to the "zero defects" Army.


 

This is similar to what is going on with us at the minute, although we don't have eight brigades to downsize.. take it from someone who because of our downsize is waiting on promotion the last 3 years and could be waiting a further 3 ...if not more... downsizing sucks! 


My advice to anyone worried is upskill!


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## LimaOscarSierraTango (Jan 26, 2012)

So how long after our numbers are diminished will the next attack on our soil happen? This is an extremely volatile world these days and another major attack on us again will be felt around the world (just like with the attack on the WTC).

I believe we can trim a lot of fat with what Goon was saying. Cutting 8 BDEs seems like quite a bit of personnel. How did they decide on that magic number?

SOWT also brings up an interesting question too.

ETA: Who pays for the contractors?  If it is the DoD, fire the ones that take the soldiers' jobs and let the soldiers do what they are trained to do instead of cut them all.


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## Manolito (Jan 26, 2012)

What if we deploy kick their ass back to the stone ages and come home. Don't stay around and build date orchards.
Free is so right we are using a cold war solution for a brand new problem. I don't know the answer but a very long time ago I did some tests for a program that was going to change the fighting people on the battle field . The program name has changed over the years but the concept is still in the drawing room. How much was spent for what? The last I heard it was called the land warrior program and it was shelved in 2007 from what I know. This program started in 1994. How much was spent? http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/land-warrior-90s.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/gao/nsiad-00-028.htm. Does the eight brigades include the ones from Europe or are they in addition to?


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## Brill (Jan 26, 2012)

goon175 said:


> Why do we have cook's when we pay contractors to cook?
> Why do we have MP's when contracted companies provide security?
> Why do we have Laundry and Bath specialists...period? (yes thats a real MOS - 92S)


 
Who the hell is recruiting those people? :-"


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## Dame (Jan 26, 2012)

lindy said:


> Who the hell is recruiting those people? :-"


Nobody recruits them. Their mothers march them down to the recruiter's office and sign them up.


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## goon175 (Jan 26, 2012)

> Who the hell is recruiting those people? :-"


 
Well, Mr. Lindy, I have not put in a single MP, Cook, or Laundry/Bath specialist....just FYI!


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## Brill (Jan 26, 2012)

goon175 said:


> Well, Mr. Lindy, I have not put in a single MP, Cook, or Laundry/Bath specialist....just FYI!


 
Well THAT explains why our unit is always getting looted, I'm always hungry, and my ACUs are constently dirty.  GET HOT!


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## Crusader74 (Jan 27, 2012)

goon175 said:


> Well, Mr. Lindy, I have not put in a single MP, Cook, or Laundry/Bath specialist....just FYI!


 
What powers of arrest /security clearnce do security guards have compared to MP's? Can you deploy security guards?

I know contractors are used as cooks, I've served in Bosnia , where contractors supplied cooks.
Genuine questions BTW.


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## rv808 (Jan 27, 2012)

Commissioned 2LT  ->20 years.
Retired 2LT!


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## Boon (Jan 27, 2012)

Don't worry, we are shifting our focus toward Asia anyway.  If it ever came down to it, would we really need man power to fight China's little army?


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## Crusader74 (Jan 27, 2012)

Boon said:


> Don't worry, we are shifting our focus toward Asia anyway. If it ever came down to it, would we really need man power to fight China's little army?


 

Whaaaa, these crazy cats?  LOL


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## CDG (Jan 27, 2012)

Boon said:


> Don't worry, we are shifting our focus toward Asia anyway. If it ever came down to it, would we really need man power to fight China's little army?


 
Yep.  Read an article in the local paper today about Naval forces from this region being shifted to be able to better facilitate support to Asia.

"Defense officials said they want to keep intact the Navy's fleet of 11 aircraft carriers, but a top Pentagon official noted that some East Coast naval operations would be shifted to the Pacific to boost the U.S. military presence closer to Asia."

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/01/panetta-navy-will-keep-11carrier-fleet-amid-cuts


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## Boon (Jan 27, 2012)

And ships being converted into floating commando bases:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...p-into-floating-commando-base-in-middle-east/


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