As the United States prepares to leave Afghanistan, the Army will likely see a decrease in the number of soldiers, and as a result some bases across the country could have to downsize as well. The potential for downsizing was outlined in a recent Army report that said military installations could see a reduction of up to 8,000 troops, according to Stars and Stripes.
The findings are based on a plan to reduce the total force of the Army from about 562,000 to 490,000 by 2020. Army officials hope there could be alternatives to reducing the number of military personnel stationed at bases around the United States, including inactivating combat brigades and realigning other troops.
“These actions are being undertaken to reshape the Army’s forces to meet more effectively national security requirements while reducing the Army’s end-strength,” the Army said in a release. “Force realignment and some level of force reduction will impact most major Army installations.”
Though there have been some concerns about what impact a smaller force size could have on the Army’s capabilities, some experts say that a greater focus on intelligence gathering and special operations will help ensure the United States Armed Forces remains.