>>> Vast number of military bands may not be music to Gates’s ears
The number of soldiers in the Army is set by Congress. Within that number the more people they have doing tasks like baking, musician, etc, they have that many fewer available to serve as shooters.
Rumsfield severely cut the number of noncombatant support and service troops, permitting beefing up the combat brigades. Apparently they aren’t done.
Well shoot, then just substitute a boom box for every band and do away with them.