United States Army Drawdown & Restructuring: Assessments & Implications

This book examines the strategic risk posed by a smaller and restructured Army; the health of the Army given the impending downsizing; the draw-down and restructuring of the U.S. Army, including the role of the National Guard and Reserves. On 26 January 2012, senior DOD leadership unveiled a new defence strategy based on a review of potential future security challenges, current defence strategy, and budgetary constraints. This new strategy envisions a smaller, leaner Army that is agile, flexible, rapidly deployable, and technologically advanced. This strategy will rebalance the Army’s global posture and presence, emphasising where potential problems are likely to arise, such as the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. The proposals to draw-down and restructure the Army have a number of strategic implications, including the capability to conduct stability and counterinsurgency operations, the ability to fight two simultaneous wars, shifting strategic emphasis to the Asia-Pacific region, and how the Army will maintain presence in the Middle East.