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1st LD: U.S. Army to cut 40,000 soldiers, 17,000 civilians by fiscal 2018

Xinhua, July 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

By the end of September 2018, the U.S. Army expects to carry out a comprehensive brigades realignment by shrinking its size from 490,000 to 450,000, according to a statement released by U.S. Defense Department Thursday.

During the same period, the Army service will also draw down in size several brigade combat teams and cut 17,000 civilian employees, the statement said. The reduction of force structure will occur in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. The end-strength reduction of the 40,000 soldiers and the 17,000 civilians will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2018.

The cuts will affect nearly every Army installation in the United States and overseas. There are a total of 30 installations among the list where changes would be made.

Among the 30 installations, there are six will be heavily affected with shrink of more than 1,000 Soldiers each. These locations include 3,402 soldiers at Fort Benning, Georgia; 3,350 soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas; 2,631 soldiers at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; 1,251 soldiers at Joint Base Lewis- McChord, Washington; 1,214 soldiers at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and 1,219 soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas.

The statement said the army will try to draw down the active force and strength gradually in order to "minimize the turbulence we have with soldiers and their families."

In 2012, the regular Army of U.S. had an end strength of about 570,000 soldiers. In 2013, the Army announced a drawdown of 80,000, that brought the size of the Army to 490,000 soldiers at present. Endite