Latest news with #DaveButler
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army to eliminate 2 Security Force Assistance Brigades, reassign experienced soldiers
The Army plans to shutter two of its Security Force Assistance Brigades, formations stood up nearly eight years ago to train and advise the militaries of American partners and allies, according to officials. Army officials confirmed to Task & Purpose that the 4th and 54th Security Force Assistance Brigades, or SFABs, will be closed, though no timetable for the move has been announced, leaving the Army with four remaining brigades. The 4th SFAB, based at Fort Carson, Colorado, concentrates its missions in Europe, while the 54th is an Indiana-based National Guard unit that augments active duty SFAB units across the world. A senior Army official told Task & Purpose that the move will free up seasoned soldiers from SFAB duty to be reassigned to traditional line units like infantry and armor. SFAB units are, by design, heavy on soldiers who are already several years into their Army careers. 'The reason that we're cutting those is to make room for or get more noncommissioned officers into the force. That's where we're hurting the most,' said Col. Dave Butler, spokesperson for the Army Chief of Staff. 'We're trying to fill the ranks up of the operational force and we have a lot of NCOs and junior officers in the SFAB formations.' When Army officials looked at the mission of the two units, they decided there were 'redundancies' in their missions, particularly in 4th SFAB's focus on Europe, according to Butler. 'We need more soldiers, noncommissioned officers, and officers in squads, platoons and companies,' he said. Since their inception in 2017, soldiers assigned to SFABs have worn distinctive brown berets and specialized in training conventional forces of U.S. allies and partner nations, like how to operate together in different environments, use certain types of military equipment, or employ certain tactics for their own forces. The units are mostly concentrated on working with partners from geographical regions in the Middle East, South America and Asia, where many U.S. allies train smaller and sometimes less professional militaries. The move to shutter the units was laid out in an Army executive order issued last week. The order did not include a timeline or specifics on the changes, but Butler said the Army is going to establish operational planning teams to work out details of the unit closures. Butler said the mission of the 4th SFAB is not needed for the relationship the Army has with partners in Europe. Since the invasion of Ukraine, the 4th SFAB has supported training for Ukrainian armed forces outside of the country and worked on improving cooperation among European and NATO allies. 'These are long-term existing relationships. We've been training together, building together for decades without the SFAB,' Butler said. 'Where we envision SFABs to be is in a place where those relationships and that training didn't exist or needed to be bolstered — but Europe is not a place like that.' The Army stood up the first of the six SFAB units in 2017 to advise Afghan, Iraqi, and Peshmerga forces. The concept of a brigade dedicated to military training was later expanded to support other U.S. partner forces. In the unit's early days, officials acknowledged that the Army had trouble recruiting soldiers for the SFAB because of a 'negative association' with similar efforts like the transition teams that trained Iraqi security forces and the Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands program. There are no plans to stand down the other SFAB units, Butler said, adding that the Army is focusing on 'prioritizing the traditional operational force.' Soldiers with 1st SFAB at Fort Benning, Georgia work with partners in South America; 2nd SFAB at Fort Bragg, North Carolina train with African nations; 3rd SFAB, based at Fort Cavazos, Texas, work with Middle Eastern partners; 5th SFAB at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington work with countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The 4th SFAB consists of fewer than 1,000 soldiers, according to an Army official familiar with the plan. That official told Task & Purpose that shutting down the 4th SFAB could impact the 10th Special Forces Group, which is also based out of Fort Carson and focused on Europe. Similar to the SFAB's mission to train and advise U.S. allies, Special Forces soldiers are also tasked with training American allies. 'I'm pretty sure [10 SFG] in some respect, maybe appreciated the SFAB being there because some of that stuff, that's the low-hanging fruit of partner-partner and ally work that SFAB is doing,' the official said. The 54th SFAB is authorized at a strength of roughly 800 soldiers who provide teams of roughly four to 12 National Guardsmen to augment active duty SFAB missions. They have also deployed as advisors to response teams for hurricanes, power outages and floods. They are headquartered in Indiana with battalions in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Ohio and Illinois. No plans have been announced on where the 54th's Guardsmen might be reassigned or offered other positions. The 54th SFAB was stood up as a National Guard unit specifically designed to pull uniquely qualified soldiers from across the country. In fact, it was designated as the 54th to match the 50 states and four U.S. territories, '75% of which are represented in our brigade right now,' the unit's Command Sgt. Maj. John Hoffman told Task & Purpose. In their civilian roles, he said, his soldiers are doctors, lawyers, and federal agents with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. They even include a municipal judge. 'It's a wide swath of America inside of that brigade and the reason it's that way is because people come from all over the United States to join the brigade,' he said, adding that as National Guard members they skew older, meaning they understand risk better and have unique civilian experiences that pay off when advising partner nations. For instance, soldiers from his unit with experience working for Amazon and Walmart joined a mission in Moldova to help teach their forces about logistics. 'There's nobody on any component of the Army that can tell you more about getting material in someone's hand than Amazon or Walmart,' he said. 'How do you replicate that anywhere else?' Hoffman said SFABs are soldiers from conventional forces that teach skills 'unconventionally' to foreign militaries. 'We teach it in an unconventional way because we don't put an entire battalion on the ground to do it,' Hoffman said. 'We put 12 bubbas and bubba-ettes on the ground to do it, and they come up with some innovative ways in order to teach these skills to our partners all around the world, bridging language and cultural gaps.' SFABs were an initiative created under Gen. Mark Milley, the former Army Chief of Staff, who became embroiled in politics during President Donald Trump's first term in office when he served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Army infantry officer calls new XM7 'unfit for use as a modern service rifle' Attempted Fort Leavenworth prison break leaves military inmate tangled on fence When Americans, Germans and POWs fought the SS from the walls of a castle This Army combat medic fought off an active shooter and rendered first aid This 53 aircraft 'elephant walk' has everything you'd need for a war in the Pacific
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plans for huge military parade on Donald Trump's birthday emerge
Detailed plans for a large military parade on Donald Trump's birthday have emerged - involving thousands of soldiers as well as hundreds of tanks and helicopters. Blueprints seen by the AP news agency suggest the event would feature seven army bands, parachute jumps and historical vehicles, followed by a concert and fireworks in the evening. But the plans to showcase armoured fighting vehicles, Howitzers and tanks have raised concerns about potential damage to Washington DC's roads. Donald Trump has long wanted a big military parade. After seeing one in France on Bastille Day in 2017, he called for an even grander event to take place on Pennsylvania Avenue. Those plans were abandoned the following year because of high costs, with some estimates suggesting the display of America's military might would command a £69m price tag. The latest proposals come as the US Army plans to mark its 250th anniversary on 14 June, which happens to coincide with the president turning 79. According to the documents, more than 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters and more than 2,000 civilians would be involved. Beyond the logistics of accommodating and feeding service personnel, it would also be costly to move military vehicles and aircraft from across the US. One file warns of "significant concerns regarding security requirements" as equipment is brought in by train or flown in. Read more: Army spokesman Col Dave Butler said: "We want to make it into an event that the entire nation can celebrate with us. We want Americans to know their Army and their soldiers. "A parade might become part of that, and we think that will be an excellent addition to what we already have planned." Washington DC's mayor, Muriel Bowser, has warned tanks rolling through the streets "would not be good". Last month, she said: "If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads."
Sky News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Plans for huge military parade on Donald Trump's birthday emerge
Detailed plans for a large military parade on Donald Trump's birthday have emerged - involving thousands of soldiers as well as hundreds of tanks and helicopters. Blueprints seen by the AP news agency suggest the event would feature seven army bands, parachute jumps and historical vehicles, followed by a concert and fireworks in the evening. But the plans to showcase armoured fighting vehicles, Howitzers and tanks have raised concerns about potential damage to Washington DC's roads. Donald Trump has long wanted a big military parade. After seeing one in France on Bastille Day in 2017, he called for an even grander event to take place on Pennsylvania Avenue. Those plans were abandoned the following year because of high costs, with some estimates suggesting the display of America's military might would command a £69m price tag. The latest proposals come as the US Army plans to mark its 250th anniversary on 14 June, which happens to coincide with the president turning 79. According to the documents, more than 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters and more than 2,000 civilians would be involved. Beyond the logistics of accommodating and feeding service personnel, it would also be costly to move military vehicles and aircraft from across the US. One file warns of "significant concerns regarding security requirements" as equipment is brought in by train or flown in. 8:45 Army spokesman Col Dave Butler said: "We want to make it into an event that the entire nation can celebrate with us. We want Americans to know their Army and their soldiers. "A parade might become part of that, and we think that will be an excellent addition to what we already have planned." Washington DC's mayor, Muriel Bowser, has warned tanks rolling through the streets "would not be good". Last month, she said: "If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads."
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Is the US Army planning a parade on June 14 to celebrate Donald Trump's 79th birthday?
The U.S. Army has developed detailed plans for a large-scale military parade on June 14 — coinciding with its 250th anniversary and former President Donald Trump 's 79th birthday — involving over 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters, and seven military bands, according to planning documents obtained by The Associated Press. The plans, dated April 29–30, also anticipate participation by thousands of civilians, including veterans' groups and historical reenactors. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Nuclear Power! How India and Pakistan's arsenals stack up Does America have a plan to capture Pakistan's nuclear weapons? Airspace blockade: India plots a flight path to skip Pakistan While no final decision has been made, the parade remains under active discussion, pending potential White House approval. Army spokespersons have confirmed ongoing preparations but emphasized that plans remain fluid. 'We want to make it an event the entire nation can celebrate,' said Col. Dave Butler, noting that a parade would highlight the Army's history and connect Americans with their military. However, the proposal has reignited concerns over cost and infrastructure damage. Similar plans in Trump's first term were abandoned amid estimates nearing $92 million and warnings from city officials about the strain heavy armored vehicles could place on Washington, D.C.'s roads. Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed that federal officials recently approached the city about a potential parade stretching from Arlington, Virginia, to downtown Washington. She warned that if tanks are involved, "they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads." The proposed route, extensive logistics, and potential inclusion of tanks and artillery units — such as Stryker and Bradley vehicles, Howitzers, and Paladins — have triggered security concerns, particularly over housing troops and managing equipment transport. The National Park Service has requested the event be designated a National Special Security Event, a status currently under review. Live Events The parade would follow an evening concert and fireworks display, though changes to the blueprint are expected in the coming weeks. Despite uncertainties, the Army continues planning for a potential presidential green light.
02-05-2025
- Business
Hegseth orders Army to cut costs by merging some commands and slashing jobs
WASHINGTON -- 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. U.S. officials said as many as 40 general officer slots could be cut as a result of the restructuring. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues. The changes come as the Pentagon is under pressure to slash spending and personnel as part of the broader federal government cuts pushed by President Donald Trump's administration and ally Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. In his memo, Hegseth said the Army must eliminate wasteful spending and prioritize improvements to air and missile defense, long-range fires, cyber, electronic warfare and counter-space capabilities. Specifically, he said the Army must merge Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command into one entity and merge Forces Command, Army North and Army South into a single headquarters 'focused on homeland defense and partnership with our Western Hemisphere allies.' In addition, he called for the Army to consolidate units, including Joint Munitions Command and Sustainment Command, as well as operations at various depots and arsenals. Officials said that while the mergers will result in fewer staff positions, there won't be a decrease in the Army's overall size. Instead, soldiers would be shifted to other posts. On the chopping block would be legacy weapons and equipment programs, such as the Humvee and some helicopter formations, along with a number of armor and aviation units across the active duty forces, National Guard and Reserve. The units were not identified. A key issue, however, will be Congress. For years, lawmakers have rejected Army and Pentagon efforts to kill a wide range of programs, often because they are located in members' home districts. Defense Department and service leaders learned long ago to spread headquarters, depots, troops and installations across the country to maximize congressional support. But those efforts also have stymied later moves to chop programs. It's unclear whether the House and Senate will allow all of the cuts or simply add money back to the budget to keep some intact.
