Officials said the sweeping changes will likely increase the size of each combat brigade – generally by adding another battalion – in an effort to ensure that those remaining brigades have the fighting capabilities they need when they go to war. A brigade is usually about 3,500 soldiers, but can be as large as 5,000 for heavily armored units. A battalion is usually between 600 and 800 soldiers.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord has three infantry brigades, each using the eight-wheeled Stryker vehicle. The Army has not discussed reducing its seven Stryker brigades, and it has not halted plans to create an eighth one.
The brigade restructuring is intended to save money without eroding the military’s ability to protect the country and wage war when needed. Army officials contend that while there would be fewer brigades, building them bigger will give them more capabilities and depth, and will reduce stress on the units.
They said specialty units, such as Army special operations forces, would not be affected by the cuts.
Reducing the overall number of brigades will also eliminate the need for the headquarters units that command and oversee them.
Officials acknowledged that merging battalions into larger brigades could shift some soldiers to different bases across the country, although that effort could be stymied by members of Congress who don’t like to see the staffing decline at bases that feed the local economy. Officials said the Army will try to limit such shifts.
The cuts come as the Pentagon puts the finishing touches on its 2013 fiscal year budget, which must reflect about $260 billion in savings in its five-year plan. Congress has ordered the Defense Department to come up with a total of $487 billion over the next 10 years, and could face cuts of double that amount if Congress can’t reach an agreement to avoid automatic across-the-board reductions mandated by lawmakers last year.
Puget Sound lawmakers earlier this month told The News Tribune that Army reductions could play out in different ways at Lewis-McChord.
Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, said Lewis-McChord could escape the most severe cuts because it’s an important platform for Pacific operations, which Obama prioritized in his new defense strategy.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, said Lewis-McChord likely will maintain a population similar to its present size of about 34,000 active-duty soldiers. Smith is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. He said the Army has consolidated resources at Lewis-McChord by reassigning units from other parts of the country, signaling that it does not intend to draw down its ranks disproportionately here.
News Tribune staff writer Adam Ashton contributed to this report.
