Downsizing Could Stretch Marine Forces Too Thin, Say Service Leaders

Senior U.S. Marine Corps officials say they are worried that tighter budgets could eliminate too many personnel, reports National Defense magazine.

The plans mandated by the 2011 budget law will force the Corps to drop from an active-duty force of 187,900 to 182,000.

At that size, the service would need to stretch its forces and might have to extend deployments beyond the current standard seven months, said Maj. Gen. Andrew O'Donnell, the deputy chief of the Marine Corps...