Special Operation Forces positions being cut, Fort Liberty to be affected
The U.S. Army plans to cut 32,000 vacant job positions as the Army struggles with recruitment.
This includes 3,000 Special Operations Forces positions. Republican Congressman Richard Hudson said many of those cuts will happen at Fort Liberty.
This forced the Army to restructure and transform when it comes to warfighting.
“You know we are radically infusing these new capabilities into our formations,” Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, Commanding General of Fort Liberty said.
The Army is relying more on sophisticated technology, like drones for combat, than boots on the ground.
“We are building an Army deter into the future and building it both the right structure and type of people,” Donahue said.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command sent CBS 17 a statement:
For U.S. Army Special Operations Command, our reductions prioritize unrealized growth, headquarters elements, and historically vacant or hard to fill positions. It’s important to note that the reductions are spaces and not faces. So, while some of those billets are here at Fort Liberty, there are no physical moves occurring. The U.S. SOCOM Commander identified the force reductions to ensure unique ARSOF capabilities are retained. Unfortunately, we can’t give you a number on exactly how many billets/jobs of that 3,000 are located here at Liberty, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Army is adding 7,500 soldiers in other critical missions, including Air Defense and Counter Drone Units. Many of those soldiers are expected to be at Fort Liberty.
Congressman Hudson said this in a statement:
It’s bad enough the U.S. Army is facing the worst recruiting crisis in decades. Now, we find out the Army is cutting its special operations forces. These cuts include intelligence analysts, psychological operations troops, and logistics personnel – including many based at Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg. No matter how the Administration tries to spin it, these support troops play a critical role in the success of our special operators in remote locations around the world. Special operators are indispensable for training our allies and undertaking dangerous missions during times of conflict, serving as a crucial deterrent against enemies. At a time when the threat of China, Russia, and Iran is growing by the day, depleting our manpower only hurts our ability to combat our adversaries’ aggression and puts our national security at risk. If the Biden Administration understands the importance and value of special operations, they won’t move forward with these cuts. Rather than prioritizing radical DEI and Green New Deal initiatives, the Army should be focused on ensuring our soldiers are the most prepared, equipped, lethal fighting force in the world.
“I’m confident that we are ready to go and solve any problem,” Lt. Gen. Donahue said.