Oct 18, 2017
Defense Drumbeat
| “Every day we live under a continuing resolution is a day we do damage to our military.” - Mac Thornberry, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee
Army Strong? |
THE PROBLEM:
One of the great challenges to Army readiness is that we simply don’t have enough Soldiers to train, prepare to deploy, and meet operational demands. That is one reason that only 5 of 58 brigade combat teams are “ready to fight tonight.”
WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY:
The unpredictability inherent in a CR hurts the Army’s ability to meet this year’s recruiting and retention goals. It hampers the efforts to recruit new Soldiers, as well as training them once they sign up. Time lost under a CR will be difficult to make up once funding is restored later in the year.
WHAT WE COULD BE DOING:
The House authorized the Army to recruit 10,000 new active duty Soldiers, and 7,000 guard or reserve Soldiers.
115th Congress