U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth announced cuts Tuesday in army force structure, specifically mentioning Stryker brigades, at an event with the Defense Writers Group in Washington, D.C.
“We’re moving away from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency; we want to be postured for large-scale combat operations,” said Wormuth.
Company C, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry in Lewis Run is a Stryker Unit with the brigade headquartered at Willow Grove. The unit just had 60 members undertake a mission in the Horn of Africa this month.
“Total Army Analysis 25-29 is focused primarily on the Regular Army,” said Maj. Travis Mueller, public affairs officer, Pennsylvania National Guard.
Mueller referenced the study driving the changes but said that 17 regular army installations will be the ones most affected. He said it did have minor impacts to the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, including the activation of new electromagnetic warfare companies, implementation of new fire and air defense capabilities and a cyber protection brigade. Minor aviation, engineer and broadcasting capability changes will also be implemented.
“I do not have information yet on when or if Pennsylvania will see any of those activations or implementations,” said Mueller.
He explained that the restructuring is due to a change in threat. The counterinsurgency operations of Iraq and Afghanistan are now in the past. Conventional warfare is now the focus.
The cuts will bring the U.S. Army from a force structure of roughly 494,000 troops to 470,000 by fiscal year 2029.
“This reorganization will take place over the next decade,” said Mueller. “It is designed to ensure that the army can deliver trained, cohesive and lethal forces to meet future challenges in complex operational environments.”
