Boring but important
Army to speed expansion
Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered the U.S. Army to grow to 547,000 active personnel by 2010, two years sooner than was previously planned. Its current head count is 512,000. The Army has come under severe strain while fighting two wars simultaneously, with many soldiers being deployed for multiple tours of combat duty. “Meeting this target will not be easy,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey Jr.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Susan Page's 6 favorite books about historical figures who stood up to authority
Feature The USA Today's Washington bureau chief recommends works by Catherine Clinton, Alexei Navalny, and more
By The Week US
-
Today's political cartoons - April 23, 2025
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - a new hat, a new retirement plan, and more
By The Week US
-
Trinidadian doubles recipe
The Week Recommends 'Dangerously addictive', this traditional Caribbean street food is the height of finger-licking goodness
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK