Mar 20, 2006 09:33
War is to Army as cowpie is to...
Changes in the Army as a result of the war:
• Confronted with the insurgency that emerged after President Bush declared "major combat" in Iraq over in May 2003, an Army largely organized, equipped and trained to defeat other armies in conventional battles has reoriented itself to counterinsurgency and "stability operations."
• Compelled to keep roughly a quarter of its active duty force in Iraq and Afghanistan full time, the Army has rushed a prewar plan into effect and reorganized to be more agile. Brigades of about 3,000 soldiers rather than divisions of 15,000 to 20,000 are becoming its primary units.
• Faced with recruiting and retention shortages last year attributed largely to the war, the Army has added about 2,000 recruiters, sweetened enlistment bonuses and relaxed standards for recruits.
• Operating at high tempo in heat and sand that are brutal for equipment as well as people, the service has worn out materiel at record rates, running up billions in bills that some fear will leave the service cash-strapped later.