Army chief: Scrap divisions for smaller brigades

[Hannibal]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker is suggesting a reorganization of the Army, replacing its structure of 10 active-duty divisions with 46 smaller, but more capable, brigades, Pentagon sources told CNN on Friday.

Despite congressional calls to add two divisions to the Army, Schoomaker is not asking for any more troops, Pentagon officials said.

"Schoomaker does not want an increase the Army's end strength," said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Instead he wants to find a way to use the current force more efficiently."

Schoomaker was scheduled to meet late Friday to discuss the reorganization plans with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who also is on record as opposing any increase in the overall size of the military.

Under the concept Schoomaker advocates, current Army divisions, which consist of three brigades, would be split into four or five small brigades, each capable of being deployed independently.

Already, sources say, the 3rd Infantry Division is being reorganized into five smaller brigades to serve as a prototype for the rest of the force.

The idea, said one official, is to have self-sustaining "modular" fighting units that will streamline the need for combat support, and eliminate some headquarters staff and other overhead.

Also Friday, the Defense Department announced that it would send a budget request of $401.7 billion to Congress for the 2005 fiscal year, a 7 percent increase over fiscal 2004 funding levels.

The budget request "supports continued transformation" of U.S. military forces, the Pentagon said.

"This budget builds upon past work to provide for a ready force made up of the talents and skills needed in our new national security environment," Rumsfeld said in a statement.

I do like this idea but I still believe that the force should be larger aswell. But, in all due respect, they probably understand the top down view better than me. What do you guys think?

[CavScout2]

It will, the AU for 3rd ID needs 4-5,000 more joes. CG said min. 2,000 from corps to make the 5 AU concept work. BLUF The Army needs more Soldiers! Uh, hello Army SecD we need help! Its a bread...soup...bread...SOUP SANDWHICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FORWARD!!!
OUT FRONT!!!

[The_Federalist]

Under the concept Schoomaker advocates, current Army divisions, which consist of three brigades, would be split into four or five small brigades, each capable of being deployed independently.

I have been following this story since it first came out.

Here is the 3ID as it stands right now:

1st Brigade "Raiders"
2-7 IN (Mech)
3-7 IN (Mech)
3-69 AR

2nd Brigade "Spartan"
3-15 IN (Mech) "China"
1-64 AR "Desert Rogues"
4-64 AR "Tusker"

3rd Brigade "Sledgehammer"
1-15 IN
1-30 IN
2-69 AR "Panthers"

Aviation Brigade
1-3 AVN (AH-64D/AH-64DW)
2-3 AVN (UH-60A/UH-60L)
3-7 CAV

DIVARTY "Marne Thunder"
1-9 FA "Battlekings" (M109A6)
1-10 FA "Rock's Support" (M109A6) - Ft Benning, GA
1-41 FA "Glory's Guns" (M109A6)
1-39 FA "Speed in Action" (MLRS)
1-3 ADA "I Strike"

Engineer Brigade "Marne Sappers"
36th Engineer Group
10th ENG Bn
11th ENG Bn (Combat) "Jungle Cats"
317th ENG Bn "Buffaloes"

24th Corps Support Group
3rd Soldier Support Bn
87th Corps Support Bn
92nd Engineer Combat Bn (Heavy)
260th Quartermaster Bn (PS)
559th Quartermaster Bn (WS)

DISCOM "Heart of the Rock"
3rd FSB
26th FSB
203rd FSB - Ft Benning, GA
603rd ASB - Hunter AAfld, GA
703rd MSB
92d Chemical Company

103rd MI Bn "Top of the Rock"
123rd SIG Bn "Voice of the Rock"
24th Personnel Services Battalion
3rd MP Bn (Prov) "Marne Police"

How would your reorganize it?

[Hoop Snake]

Heres a basic template.

1 x Tank Battalion 2x mech inf, 1xcav, 1x engineers, 1 x Artillery (2 batt medium, 1 Batt MLRS), 1x Aviation , 1 x CSS, 1 x brigade HQ. Or if you want tank heavy go 2 x Tk ,1x inf

This is what we in the deep,deep south basically have. It works out OK by combining the Tk and Inf Battalions to make 2 mixed combat teams. Assign 1 Battery per combat team, keep your MLRS as Brigade artillery, and have your cav and Av do the recon. A light weight, quick moving butt kicking machine.

[BrianOKeeffe]

My first impression is, to paraphase the last Army Chief of Staff, that we'll still be working 10 divisions like we have 12 divisions. Next, on the end-strength issue, it simply floors me that all of a sudden, that after a decade of increasing OPTEMPO, in which senior Army leaders complained loudly about the effect it (OPTEMPO) was having on readiness and the troops, that now increases in Army end strength is not needed. My gut feeling is that we shall be paying a heavy price in the future with respect to retention.


For transcripts on the "Transformation" views of the Joint Chiefs, see;
http://www.ifpafletcherconference.com/transcripts.htm