Do You agree that the Army should NOT downsize its Airborne Brigade in Alaska while Russia builds up and Canada does Airborne Ops?

2016-02-25T00:24:32-05:00

Russis is building 13 airstrips in its Arctic Territory and has a company plus training in the Arctic year round. Canada is doing the same and also having a year long training base for Arctic ops. I believe the downsizing of our Airborne Bridgade is a big mistake while Russia gets prepared. http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parachuting-in-the-arctic-comes-with-its-own-set-of-challenges

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Feb 25 at 2016 10:53 AM

2016-02-25T10:53:18-05:00

Downsizing in general was predicated on the thought that since the USSR no longer existed and Russia (at the time) was no longer a threat, we didn't need as large a force anymore. Well, things change. Russia is re-emerging under Putin as a threat and is re-arming and being as provocative as the old USSR ever was.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 11:15 AM

2016-02-25T11:15:14-05:00

No I don't agree. We have a lowly 55 miles separating our borders and we have all of 2 BCTs on the ground there plus attachments. Now take into account that one of our nations strongest military allies is also there conducting their own training and have power behind us in that A.O. I think that maybe enough to deter to much getting out of control there. Then of course you have to think about what our Navy is doing under the ice up there that no one knows about, scaring the crap out the Russians.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2016 3:17 PM

2016-02-27T15:17:54-05:00

it seems to me...and I'm just a little of decade vet, that whenever the US draws down, inevitably, we go to a war...take WWII for instance, we drew down big time...and bam, we get invaded, now I was out before 9/11, but weren't we downsized/downsizing before Iraq and Afghanistan?

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 10:58 AM

2016-02-29T10:58:06-05:00

Downsizing airborne units is absolutely a bad idea. Just because we haven't use them does not mean we don't need them. The problem is that when you actually need it you will be force to play catch up and history repeats itself.