Army redeployment pool said shrinking

WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) -- The pool of U.S. soldiers ready for combat is at its lowest level due to injuries than at any time since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars began, the Pentagon says.

The Army hopes to ease the readiness situation with the planned reduction of forces in Iraq, said Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the vice chief of staff.

Otherwise, he says, there will have to be more reliance on National Guard troops and reserves and perhaps plans to lengthen downtime between combat deployments could be changed, USA Today reported Thursday.

Chiarelli says about 20,000 soldiers currently are unavailable for combat because of wounds or injuries.

The Army is investigating the possibility of stress and multiple deployments playing a role in the fatal shooting of five U.S. soldiers in Baghdad Monday. The alleged shooter was on his third deployment to Iraq.