Forces: August 16, 2004

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The reorganization the U.S. Army is currently undergoing, is changing the shape of the army. The current ten combat divisions will grow from 16,000 troops each, to 19,000. This is because the manpower in the divisions is being reorganized to create four brigades and twelve combat battalions where there were previously three and ten. In addition to the larger number of battalions, theres also going to be much new equipment. The reorganization will allow for the introduction of the battlefield Internet, and expensive new gear to support it. This is what it sounds like, and it has already been used, in combat, in the 4th Infantry Division and the Stryker brigades. This means the conversion cost for each division will be about $1.1 billion. The army will spend about $3 billion a year on the reorganization until its completed. Ironically, 70 years ago the army underwent a major reorganization as it prepared for possible participation in another  World War. Back then, the army went from divisions of four regiments and 12 battalions to three regiments and nine battalions. Back to the future.