Army plans to cut thousands of troops from special operations forces

THE PENTAGON IS READY TO CUT 10 PERCENT OF THE ARMY’S SPECIAL-OPERATIONS FORCES AS RECRUITING STRUGGLES CONTINUE AND THE PENTAGON SHIFTS FOCUS FROM COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATIONS TO THE RISING THREAT FROM CHINA.

THE ARMY IS PLANNING TO CUT THREE-THOUSAND TROOPS FROM ITS SPECIAL FORCES RANKS WHICH COULD INCLUDE TROOPS FROM THE CELEBRATED GREEN-BERETS, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED…

WORD OF POTENTIAL CUTS IS ALREADY SPREADING AND RECEIVING CRITICISM FROM CURRENT AND FORMER SPECIAL OPERATORS INCLUDING FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN MIKE WALTZ, A RETIRED GREEN BERET, WHO SAID HE IS “STUNNED AND APPALLED BY THE MOVE.”

QUOTE: “THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY IS TRYING TO CLAIM SHE IS ONLY CUTTING SUPPORT TROOPS LIKE INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS, PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS TROOPS, AND LOGISTICS PERSONNEL. IN REALITY, THESE SUPPORT TROOPS ARE CRITICAL TO OUR SPECIAL OPERATORS SUCCESS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS IN SIXTY TO SEVENTY COUNTRIES ON ANY GIVEN DAY ALL OVER THE WORLD.”

SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, LIKE GREEN BERETS HAVE PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE U.S. FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND IN TRAINING ALLIED FIGHTERS… RIGHT NOW SPECIAL FORCES UNITS ARE HELPING TRAIN UKRAINIAN FORCES TO FIGHT RUSSIA… AND TAIWANESE FIGHTERS TO DEFEND AGAINST ATTACKS FROM CHINA.

WHILE THE ARMY’S RECRUITING PITFALL PLAYS A ROLE IN THE CUTS… THE PENTAGONS SHIFT IN FOCUS FROM COUNTERTERRORISM TO LARGE-SCALE COMBAT OPERATIONS — INCLUDING THE RISING THREAT FROM CHINA — ARE ALSO A DRIVING FACTOR. 

ARMY SECRETARY CHRISTINE WORMUTH DESCRIBED THE SITUATION AS A “MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION” FOR THE ARMY AS IT PIVOTS FROM COUNTERINSURGENCY AND COUNTERTERRORISM TO A NEW FORCE STRUCTURE FOR LARGER OPERATIONAL CONCERNS

THIS NEWS COMES AS LAST YEAR MORE THAN SEVEN-HUNDRED SPECIAL-OPERATIONS TROOPS WERE REALLOCATED FROM U.S. MILITARY BRANCHES.

WHILE THESE REDUCTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE PUSHED THROUGH.. NOTHING IS SIGNED YET AND THE CUTS COULD BE OVERTURNED BY CONGRESS… WHERE AT LEAST ONE MEMBER… CONGRESSMAN WALTZ.. HAS ALREADY VOICED OPPOSITION.