My MBA Career Update: Army to Cut Thousands of Jobs in Strategic Overhaul for Future Warfare

Last Updated on February 28, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes

The U.S. Army is making significant changes to its force in order to better prepare for future major wars and address recruiting challenges. The Army plans to reduce its size by about 24,000, or almost 5%, with most of the cuts affecting empty posts rather than actual soldiers. Approximately 3,000 cuts will come from Army special operations forces.

However, the Army also plans to add about 7,500 troops in critical missions such as air-defense and counter-drone units. The goal is to bring the number of active-duty soldiers up to 470,000 over the next five years. The Army has recognized that it is “significantly overstructured” and has had difficulty filling existing units, leading to the decision to reduce the force.

The focus of the Army has shifted from counter-insurgency missions to great power competition with countries like China and Russia. The changes reflect the need for the Army to prepare for large-scale combat operations against more sophisticated enemies. In recent years, the Army has struggled to meet recruiting goals, falling short by over 15,000 recruits in the last fiscal year.

To address these challenges, the Army has launched a recruitment overhaul, targeting young people who have spent time in college or early in their careers. The Army Secretary acknowledged that recruiting has been a challenge for many years, with the service not meeting its annual goals since 2014. These changes are aimed at ensuring that the Army is prepared for the future battlefield while also addressing recruitment shortfalls.