Should the U.S. Army "Lighten Up"?
POLICY FORUMMonday, December 18, 2000
12:00 p.m.
Featuring Col. Douglas A. Macgregor, U.S. Army National Defense University; Thomas McNaugher, RAND; Sean Naylor, Army Times; Kim Burger, Inside the Army; David McGinnis, Independent Defense Analyst.
The Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
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The top general in the Army has decided that the Army is too heavy and should "lighten up." The Army intends to transform six brigades into a medium-weight force by buying 2000 lighter vehicles. Some advocates of heavy armor fear that the Army is on the road to becoming a peacekeeping force. Other critics fear that the Army is becoming strategically irrelevant and has not gone far enough in transforming itself. Is making the Army lighter a good idea? To what extent should the Army transform itself? How much will transformation cost and where will the Army get the money? Is the Army enjoying success in its transformation efforts? Our panelists will discuss those issues.