‘Big mistake’: Congressman speaks on 32,000 vacant Army positions being cut and impact on Fort Liberty

Republican Congressman Richard Hudson said President Biden’s Administration is making “a big mistake” by phasing out 32,000 vacant Army positions. 

“Just with a pen to make budget cuts and maybe add them back later when we need them is not a way to run the Army,” Hudson said. 

The North Carolina representative said he has serious concerns about the direction the U.S. Army is moving in. Army leaders recently announced 32,000 unfilled positions would be cut. Hudson said at least 3,000 would be from the Special Operations Forces, including at Fort Liberty. 

“The very people they are cutting, are the folks we rely on today at the tip of the spear to keep us safe and in any future conflict they would be the first ones in,” Rep. Hudson said. 

Recruitment struggles along with advanced technology forced the Army to adjust, restructure, and transform. However, Hudson said now is not the time to downsize. 

“Other countries paying attention. They not only look at the troop size, but they look at the make-up of our force. And when they see us cutting these types of forces, I think it sends a signal to them that we are not serious,” he said. 

Hudson said continuing to offer military pay raises, better housing and family support are the answers to some of the recruitment challenges. 

Hudson said President Joe Biden recently signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024. Inside the federal budget spending package, nearly $260 million is being allocated to Fort Liberty for projects. This includes $61 million for an aircraft maintenance hangar, $26 million for child development center, $50 million for barracks, $85 million for barracks (facility prototyping), $19.5 million for an automated record fire range. 

“As the representative of the largest Army base in the world, I fought hard to make sure this spending package includes big wins for Fort Liberty/Fort Bragg,” Hudson said. 

While the Army is making cuts, it’s also adding 7,500 soldiers in other areas including counter drone defense. 

“A lot of the focus we’ve seen from this Secretary of Defense and this Pentagon has been on a lot of political agenda type ideas and not what we need to do to prepare the best fighting force in the world,” Hudson said.