Quote Originally Posted by TAH View Post
By combing two BCTs you would get fewer bigger units and get a personnel savings from the reduced number of HQs (BCT HHC(185 PAX), FA Bn HHB (86 PAX), STB HHC (165 PAX), & CSS Bn HHC (85 PAX)). By using a CAB HQ as the ARS HQ you save 290 PAX.

Two "standard" HBCT = 3711 X 2 = 7422

7422 -185 (extra BCT HHC) - 86 (extra FA HHB) - 165 (extra STB HHC) - 85 (extra CSS HHC) - 290 (ARS HHTs) = 6610
Details, but the savings is really more than this. At least the CO HQs in the BSB can be saved (consolidating larger maint, med and distro COs, although maybe justifying split supply and trans COs with the increased scope). Same with the FSC for the FA BN and ARS (some of the capability needs to be retained, but these COs are already far smaller than their maneuver peer). MI and SIG COs, too, so you've saved at least an additional 6-7 CO HQs. At an average of 10 pax, that's another 65 pax.

Elements of the FA BN TGT Acquisition Platoon (radar, met and survey) are in the same position. At a minimum, you don't need 2 platoon HQs. A single met section can support a BN, whether 2 or 4 batteries, and a you don't need 4 survey teams, either (each BN still has 2, the same as the old 3 battery BN- at most you need 3 of the 4).

That's almost an additional 100 people, plus the excess capacity in the BSB and BSTB. I'm not smart enough on these organizations to know the details, but I know that our BSB supported 3 additional BNs, plus some other additional units (on an area support basis) AND provided manpower for other missions- definitely don't need all the pax. Likewise, the elements of the SIG CO and MICO that augment the BCT staff (analysis, NET OPS) are still supporting the same BCT HQ, although the analysts can probably be used to process additional information, the platoon HQ that supports them isn't needed, and the SIG CO is still only supporting 2 CMD posts.