WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army wants 30,000 more soldiers on active duty than it is allowed to have for the next four years, the Army chief of staff told Congress.
It was the first acknowledgement from the military that it is shorthanded for the tasks at hand. However, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker stopped short of asking for a permanent increase in end strength in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday.
"There is no question the Army is stressed. The degree to which we are engaged today ... can not be debated," he said.
Eight of the U.S. Army's 10 divisions are busy with Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea and the Balkans.
The U.S. Army plans to release more details about the plan on Friday, including how much it would cost and where the additional soldiers would come from.
