Military
They Can Take Away Our Troops But Not Our Patriotism
- The U.S. Army has the fewest number of active duty soldiers since WWII, at 479,172 which is more than 16,500 troops less than last year.
- The plan, which was unveiled last July, is to get the number of active soldiers down to 460,000 by 2017 and 450,000 by the end of 2018.
- In addition to the soldiers on duty, there are 548,024 soldiers in reserve, giving a total number of 1,027,196 soldiers.
The number of U.S. Army soldiers on active duty has been reduced to its lowest since 1940, according to a published report.
The Army Times reported this weekend that the Army's end strength for March was 479,172. That's 154 fewer soldiers than the service's previous post-World War II low, which was reached during the Army's post-Cold War drawdown in 1999.
The current number is still well above the 269,023 soldiers on duty in 1940, the year before America entered World War II. However, the report says the active force has been reduced by more than 16,500 troops over the past year — the equivalent of about three brigades.
According to The Army Times, the Army is on track to reach its goal of reducing the number of active-duty troops to 475,000 by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year 2016. Under a drawdown plan unveiled last July, the number of active-duty soldiers would be reduced to 460,000 soldiers by the end of the fiscal year 2017 and 450,000 by the end of the fiscal year 2018, barring action by Congress or the Pentagon.
If those targets are met, the number of soldiers on active duty would be down 20 percent from 2010, when there were nearly 570,000 soldiers on active duty.
When the Army presented its plan last July, military officials said their hands were tied by reduced funding levels.
“These are not cuts the Army wants to make, these are cuts required by the budget environment in which we operate,” Gen. Daniel Allyn, vice chief of staff of the Army, said at the time. “This 40,000 soldier cut … will only get us to the program force, it does not deal with the continued threat of sequestration.”
The Army Times report said that 2,600 soldiers departed active service in March without being replaced.
In addition to those on active duty, the Army has 548,024 soldiers in reserve, for a total force of 1,027,196 soldiers. Under the drawdown plan, the total force number would be reduced to 980,000 by the end of the fiscal year 2018.
Source: Fox News
19 Comments
There are too many of us that still believe in the same things our forefathers believed in!
Lilah Dukes….you have that entirely bass ackwards!!
We need to build up the armed forces to levels we had during the Reagan administration NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
USAF Veteran 1956-1964 and American Legionnaire. Enough said!
Patriotism originates in our hearts and souls. Some may chose to military service as an avenue of expression for this feeling. Others serve in their own way. However, no one but no one can remove that part of you.
We will prevail!
I served 28 years USAF. I felt I owed my country at least something other than just enjoying its bounty.
drone warfare our communist party leader obama relies way to much on this he is not sending troops over seas so our troops are getting bored doing kp or guard duty or gi ing the dorm pulling meaningless details
I amI am a vet myself and what I am seeing is we will not be able to defend this nation effectively with the numbers that are being projected.
so much for national security our communist party leader obama is making it to easy for other countries to invade and take over and with his everybody is guilty until proven innocent with absolutely no way of being proven innocent gun control crap it will be even easier to conquer the united soviet america also known as the peoples republic of china west
Obama’s rules of engagement is why fewer people want to go into the Military and the chances of them getting hurt or die is greater with his absolutely ridiculous RULES OF ENGATEMENT. American’s love America there no greater place to live in the world but we need a NEW COMMANDER IN CHIEF!
After serving nearly 24 years in the Army with a combat deployment and numerous activations for emergency’s to include being on the ground in NYC for 911 as part of the security force (HHC 1-101 CAV, NYARNG) I think I know a little about Patriotism!
I served in VN and what I learned in the service was being able to support my country. Which most today don’t even care about their country. That what makes america great.
Standing armies are eventually used to enslave. We can no longer afford unlimited spending on the military industrial complex.
we need more troops full time and ready
I think it’s a great thing that the Military is reducing it’s numbers. I would like to see it reduced much further!!! We should cut the budget in half for the Military, after all the Soldier pay is nothing, that’s not where the Money goes, it all goes to Corporate Weapons Contractors….
Third generation of active duty until retirement.
I am a born American, I served my Country fir nine years in the Military, and I believe America is the greatest nation on this earth. Slowly it is becoming a third world country and ourelected officials are doing absolutely nothing to preserve this great nation of ours.
Hell no, I’m American to the core!