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Two views of cutting Army waste in Washington while the Army celebrates its 250 birthday this year.

DelcoTimes/AP  5/1/2025

Hegseth orders Army to cut costs by merging some commands and slashing jobs

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U.S. officials said as many as 40 general officer slots could be cut as a result of the restructuring

 

The Army is planning a sweeping transformation that will merge or close headquarters, dump outdated vehicles and aircraft, slash as many as 1,000 headquarters staff in the Pentagon and shift personnel to units in the field, according to a new memo and U.S. officials familiar with the changes.

In a memo released Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the transformation to "build a leaner, more lethal force.” Discussions about the changes have been going on for weeks, including decisions to combine a number of Army commands.

Col. Dave Butler, an Army spokesman, said the potential savings over five years would be nearly $40 billion.....

 

Delco Times/AP  5/1/2025

Army plans for a potential parade on Trump's birthday call for 6,600 soldiers, AP learns

It would likely cost tens of millions of dollars to put on an event of that size

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Detailed Army plans for a potential military parade on President Donald Trump's birthday in June call for more than 6,600 soldiers, at least 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters, seven bands and possibly a couple thousand civilians, The Associated Press has learned.

The planning documents, obtained by the AP, are dated April 29 and 30 and have not been publicly released. They represent the Army's most recent blueprint for its long-planned 250th anniversary festival on the National Mall and the newly added element — a large military parade that Trump has long wanted but is still being discussed.

The Army anniversary just happens to coincide with Trump's 79th birthday on June 14.

While the slides do not include any price estimates, it would likely cost tens of millions of dollars to put on a parade of that size. Costs would include the movement of military vehicles, equipment, aircraft and troops from across the country to Washington and the need to feed and house thousands of service members.

High costs halted Trump's push for a parade in his first term, and the tanks and other heavy vehicles that are part of the Army's latest plans have raised concerns from city officials about damage to roads....

Much of the equipment would have to be brought in by train or flown in....

Some equipment and troops were already going to be included in the Army's birthday celebration, which has been in the works for more than a year. The festival was set to involve an array of activities and displays on the National Mall, including a fitness competition, climbing wall, armored vehicles, Humvees, helicopters and other equipment.

A parade, however, would increase the equipment and troops involved. According to the plans, as many as 6,300 of the service members would be marching in the parade, while the remainder would be responsible for other tasks and support.

The Army's early festival plans did not include a parade, but officials confirmed last month that the Army had started discussions about adding One.

The plans say the parade would showcase the Army's 250 years of service and foresee bringing in soldiers from at least 11 corps and divisions nationwide. Those could include a Stryker battalion with two companies of Stryker vehicles, a tank battalion and two companies of tanks, an infantry battalion with Bradley vehicles, Paladin artillery vehicles, Howitzers and infantry vehicles.

There would be seven Army bands and a parachute jump by the Golden Knights. And documents suggest that civilian participants would include historical vehicles and aircraft and two bands, along with people from veterans groups, military colleges and reenactor organizations.

According to the plan, the parade would be classified as a national special security event, and that request has been submitted by the National Park Service and is under review....

...D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged in April that the administration reached out to the city about holding a parade on June 14 that would stretch from Arlington, Virginia, where the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery are located, across the Potomac River and into Washington.

Bowser at the time said she didn't know if the event was being "characterized as a military parade" but added that tanks rolling through the city's streets "would not be good.”

"If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads,” she said....