Army Plans Major Cuts to Special-Operations Forces, Including Green Berets

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon is poised to make controversial cuts to the Army’s storied special-operations forces, amid recruiting struggles and a shift in focus from Middle East counterterrorism operations to a threat from China. Mostly, the Army plans to cut special-operations troops in supporting roles such as psychological warfare, civil affairs, intelligence operators, communications troops, logistics and other so-called enablers, U.S. military officials said. In sum, the cuts to the Pentagon’s umbrella Special Operations Command would amount to about 3,700 troops since last year. Most senior special-operations officers, including SOCOM commander Army Gen. Bryan Fenton and Chris Maier, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, opposed the cuts out of fear that the reductions will deprive the command of the flexibility it needs to conduct counterterrorism and training of partner nations.