U.S. Army To Eliminate 10 Combat Brigades In Drawdown

U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno outlines impending cuts and realignments within the Army's force structure during a Pentagon briefing, June 25, 2013. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Army To Eliminate 10 Brigades At U.S. Bases In Drawdown: Odierno -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The U.S. Army said on Tuesday it would eliminate 10 brigade combat teams at bases across the United States and cancel some $400 million in construction projects as it cuts about 80,000 soldiers over the next four years.

General Ray Odierno, the Army chief of staff, said the move was part of the largest organizational change in the Army since World War Two as the service winds down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and responds to tighter U.S. budgets.

The Pentagon announced plans to cut the Army's overall force structure last year, but Odierno on Tuesday detailed where and how the service would reorganize as it draws down from a wartime high of 570,000 soldiers in 45 brigade combat teams to 490,000 in 33 brigade combat teams by the end of 2017. The reduction represents about a 14 percent drop in force size.

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More News On The U.S. Army Eliminating 10 Combat Brigades

Army announces 10 brigade combat teams to be cut -- Army Times
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US Army outlines plans to cut brigades -- Global Post/AFP
Army to Cut 12 Combat Brigades by 2017 in Postwar Drawdown -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Army to cut brigades at 10 US bases by 2017 to reduce spending as wars end -- Washington Post/AP
Army plan for cutting combat brigades will affect 10 US bases and Germany (List of bases) -- Washington Post/AP
US Army Makes Deep Cuts But Keeps Combat Punch; Capitol Hill Restive -- Defense News