[mark502inf]

General Shelton is 100% right about the size of the Army. Unfortunately, although it is the largest service, it has the smallest budget overall & has a much, much smaller procurement budget than the other services. And procurement dollars are the basis of contracts & jobs in congressional districts. However unneeded more attack subs and fighter planes are, they will get priority over the much more necessary, but non-glamorous and non-pork producing expansion of Army force structure.

Note Clark's response to Shelton's earlier comments on his character.

[Support Free Republic]

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[RebelBanker]

As always, the Active Army types ignore the Army Reserve and Army National Guard when counting troops. Reserve component soldiers cost about 1/3 of what active forces cost and units can generally be deployed with little more effort than would be required for a comparable active unit.

Your humble servant...

[bc2]

Here is a novel idea: how about not being the world's police under the guise of "protecting our interests"... which is what caused 9-11-01 and will be the cause of the next horrific terrorist tragedy.

Doesn't anyone ever read the Constitution anymore? Doesn't anyone understand the meaning of "entangling alliances"?

[Future Snake Eater]

Note Clark's response to Shelton's earlier comments on his character.

I note that Clark is trying to sound the "bigger man," but I've met Shelton twice, once when he still head of the JCS and again after he had retired. From what I've seen of Clark, he doesn't hold a candle to the honesty and integrity of Hugh Shelton.

[El Conservador]

although it is the largest service

Isn't the Marine Corps the largest armed service???

I think Marine numbers go around 600.000

[Blood of Tyrants]

I think that the politicians are starting to see why grunts will always be the backbone of the military. IMHO, the Army needs to be expanded by about 50% to about 750,000 active duty members.

[caisson71]

We need to reduce the number of troops in Western Europe and let the EUROS take care of Bosnia and other hot spots in their own backyard, reduce our numbers in SHAPE, South Korea and Japan. Japan and South Korea have enough forces to take care of themselves.

[taxcontrol]

A couple of thoughts:

Divisions are no longer the operational focuse - it's now Brigades.

The active army need at least 6 more combat brigades, reserves need 10 more combat brigades.

Marines need 3 active / 6 reserve

At least to keep up with the current mission.

[Maurkov]

Does FR have a poll function (besides overwhelming other people's, I mean)? Im curious how folks here feel re:Be Larger vs. Do Less.