The U.S. Army is cutting 24,000 positions in a move to restructure the military branch. According to the Army, the 5% of its force being cut are already empty posts, as recruitment shortages mean there aren’t enough soldiers to fill the existing roles.
The branch is not asking any soldiers to leave, but rather repositioning them to prepare for any upcoming conflicts, potentially on new task forces.
The Army said it is currently “significantly over-structured” because thousands of troops who were once needed during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are no longer in demand.
About 3,000 cuts will come from special operations. Approximately 10,000 posts will be cut from cavalry squadrons, combat teams and security force brigades. Another 10,000 engineer-like positions will be slashed, according to the Army.
While some departments are losing positions, others are gaining. The Army plans to add 7,500 troops to other critical missions, including air-defense and counter-drone units.
There are also plans to create task forces aligning with growing modern threats. New units will have enhanced cyber, intelligence and long-range strike capabilities.
The decision to cut jobs comes after years of struggling for the Army to fill them in the first place. The current structure allows for 494,000 soldiers and there are currently 445,000 active-duty soldiers enlisted. Under the new restructuring, the goal will be to reach 470,000.
