Manning overage gives Army jump on expansion - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Manning overage gives Army jump on expansion

As congressional negotiators hammer out legislation that will determine the future size of the Army, active component end-strength has exceeded budgeted levels by more than 5,000 soldiers in recent weeks.

A Sept. 1 headcount of the service’s three components shows a population of 552,425 for the Regular Army, 357,791 for the National Guard and 206,356 for the Army Reserve.

The manning overage for the active component will give the Army a jump start on a force expansion expected to be approved by Congress in the coming weeks.

However, as of mid-September, the size and timing of that increase was uncertain.

If these totals hold until Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2009, the active component will exceed its congressional authorization by 5,025 soldiers.

The Army Reserve, which has struggled to make end-strength in recent years, will be overstrength by 1,356 soldiers.

The National Guard is shy of its authorized level of 358,200 by 409 soldiers, but officials expect recruiters will eliminate that small deficit by Sept. 30.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in July that the Obama administration would seek a temporary 22,000-soldier expansion to the active component as a means of improving the personnel readiness of deploying units.

One day after that July 20 announcement, the Senate voted to approve a temporary strength increase of 30,000 soldiers over three years.

The House has since voted for a temporary 30,000-soldier increase in 2011-12.

Conferees must now reconcile differences in the growth plans for the final version of the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill that will be sent to President Barack Obama.