Army leaders talk future BCT cuts, sequestration effects
Published: February 17, 2012
WASHINGTON – The Army is still “a few months away” from decisions about additional brigade combat teams that will be eliminated, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno told Congress on Friday.
Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh appeared before the House Armed Services Committee to discuss Army budget decisions a day after the Pentagon named two Europe-based heavy brigades, the 170th and 172nd infantry brigades, that will be deactivated over the next 18 months or so.
The Department of Defense budget proposal revealed Monday calls for at least eight brigade combat teams to be eliminated as the Army slims down to 490,000 troops over the next five years.
“We must restructure, we must reprioritize,” McHugh told legislators.
Like the rest of the Pentagon, the Army is proceeding with budget plans designed to reduce spending by $487 billion over the next decade. When asked by legislators, McHugh said the Army has not attempted to work out a separate budget to cope with potential larger DOD-wide cuts of over more than $1 trillion, known as “sequestration.” By law, the cuts are required to take effect if legislators are unable to agree on deficit-cutting measures.
Sequestration planning could begin this summer, McHugh said, with the Army facing a $134 billion budget hit by 2017.
Such cuts would seriously reduce the Army’s ability to defend the country, Odierno said.
“The reductions that would be required in both our active component and our reserve components would be significant,” he said. “Our readiness profiles would be affected … (and) it would significantly delay any modernization efforts we have.”
