Army Drawdown and Restructuring: Background and Issues for Congress

"On January 26, 2012, senior DOD leadership unveiled a new defense strategy based on a review
of potential future security challenges, current defense strategy, and budgetary constraints. This
new strategy envisions a smaller, leaner Army that is agile, flexible, rapidly deployable, and
technologically advanced. This strategy will rebalance the Army’s global posture and presence,
emphasizing where potential problems are likely to arise, such as the Asia-Pacific region and the
Middle East...

Potential issues for Congress include the strategic risk posed by a smaller and restructured Army;
the “health” of the Army given the impending downsizing; where the force will be based; the role
of the National Guard and Reserves; and should the enrollment at the service academies (West
Point) be reduced to pre-9/11 levels.."