U.S. Army to recruit more soldiers

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army estimates it can add an additional 6,000 to 7,000 more soldiers per year, on top of the 80,000 it is already recruiting annually.

The cost of an additional 10,000 soldiers - including salary, training, uniforms, benefits, recruiting and other costs - is $1.2 billion a year.

Exactly how large the Army will grow has yet to be determined. It is a function of the budget, recruiting efforts and physical infrastructure. Additional troops require larger bases, family housing, and expanded health care in addition to new equipment.

Proposals range from adding 20,000 to 100,000, which translated to another $2.4 billion to $12 billion a year on top of the Army's already $125 billion budget.

The Marine Corps has about 181,000 troops and could add another 5,000 over the next few years, according to Marine officials.

The White House has agreed the military needs to grow, but the increases will only be made in the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps.

Both the Navy and the Air Force are cutting personnel as they try to free up funding for expensive new aircraft and ships. The Air Force will unveil its "shaping policy" -- that is, plans for cuts -- in early January, an Air Force official told UPI Wednesday.

The Army currently has 507,000 soldiers on the active duty payroll although it is authorized and funded to go up to 512,000. Recruiting those soldiers is a challenge; the Army has to recruit 80,000 new soldiers every year. The Army reserve has 189,000 and the Army National Guard has 346,000.