U.S. Army Announces Major Restructuring, Cuts 24,000 Positions

The restructuring aims to prepare for future conflicts by focusing on critical missions and addressing recruiting challenges.

The U.S. Army is cutting its force by about 24,000 positions, nearly 5%, as part of a major restructuring to better prepare for future conflicts.
The restructuring focuses on eliminating vacant positions, particularly those related to counter-insurgency operations, while adding 7,500 troops in critical missions like air-defense and counter-drone units.
Army leaders aim to shift the force's focus towards large-scale combat operations against technologically advanced adversaries, reflecting a change from counterterrorism to great power competition.
The Army faces significant recruiting challenges, having not met its annual goal for new enlistment contracts since 2014, with recent efforts falling short of targets by thousands.
Despite the cuts, the Army's restructuring plan includes the creation of five new task forces with enhanced cyber, intelligence, and long-range strike capabilities.