Gates Expects to Approve Army Expansion

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Gates Expects to Approve Army Expansion
Associated Press | September 28, 2007


WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he's inclined to approve an Army proposal to spend nearly $3 billion extra over the next four years to accelerate an expansion of its force. Army Secretary Pete Geren said speeding up the growth of the force, stretched thin by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, would mean recruiting faster and increasing the number of Soldiers who re-enlist.

"I'm probably going to recommend they go ahead and give it a try," Gates told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. Appearing with Gates was Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is retiring on Monday after 40 years in the Marine Corps.

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Gates mentioned, as an example, that the percentage of Army recruits with a high school diploma has dropped to about 76 percent, compared with over 90 percent in recent years. "We'd like to see that get back up," he said.

Geren, in an earlier interview with a group of reporters, also said it was possible that even while five Army combat brigades are withdrawn from Iraq between December and July, the number of non-combat troops there could stay the same or even increase. He stressed that he was not predicting any particular level of support forces in Iraq in 2008 but also was not assuming the number would be lower by then.

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Among the issues still on the table, Geren said, is this: Would a reduction in the number of combat brigades mean more need or less need for troops performing support functions like training the Iraqi army and police?


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,150761,00.html?wh=wh