Considering a Cadre Augmented Army - RAND Corporation

-42- A Budgetary Analysis of Cadre
increases aim to provide a larger rotation base for the future, we might consider adding cadre
BCTs instead of AC BCTs.
We find that increasing the size of the force with nine cadre BCTs rather than nine
AC BCTs would save $6 billion annually averaged over periods of peace and war and $8
billion annually during peacetime. We find that increasing the size of the force with 18 cadre
BCTs rather than 18 AC BCTs would save $12 billion annually averaged over periods of
peace and war and $16 billion annually during peacetime. For these larger force expansions,
a cadre augmented force also increases stress on the force relative to the larger AC forces. 43
Figure 2.2 compares the stress placed on the AC for expansions of nine and 18 BCTs.
“Afghanistan-sized’ blocks” of three to four AC BCTs. [Donnelly and Kagan (2008b), p. 114] Their overall
force structure proposal is based on the assumption that AC BCTs would be rotated at 1:2. Therefore, about
60 AC BCTs would be required. Also see: Donnelly and Kagan (2008a), Donnelly (2007a,b); Donnelly, Kagan
and Schmitt (2007); Lightman and Talev (2007)
42 The number of additional BCTs for the 100,000 and 200,000 troop expansions was calculated using the ratio
of troops to BCTs from the 2007 expansion. The 2007 expansion builds six BCTs from 65,000 personnel, for a
ratio of about 11,000 personnel per BCT. Therefore, an increase of 100,000 personnel would create about nine
BCTs and an increase of 200,000 personnel would create about 18 BCTs. The number of personnel actually
assigned to a BCT is only around 4,000; the additional personnel are assigned to non-combat units such as
Combat Support (CS), Combat Service Support (CSS), echelon above division (EAD), and to the institutional
army (TDA). These support personnel are added in proportion to combat personnel.
43 These larger expansions also require high mobilization rates in order for all cadre units to be deployed over
the course of a ten-year war. These rates are not achievable by relying solely on increased recruiting. See
Chapter Five of Paper II for more detail.