
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1990                   TAG: 9004180419
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Short

BUDGET CUTS MAY PROMPT REDUCTIONS IN ARMY GUARD

The Virginia Army National Guard will probably reduce its force by 250 soldiers this year because of cuts in federal military spending, the state's adjutant general said Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. John G. Castles said most of the slots will be eliminated through attrition and force management.

About 9,700 men and women serve in the Virginia Army Guard, which is composed almost entirely of combat units.

The Pentagon is contemplating cutting the Army and its reserve components by 270,000 soldiers over the next four years, spreading the cuts almost equally between the regular Army and the Guard and Reserves.

This year, the Defense Department is considering cutting 10,000 people from National Guard units across the country, basically from states that have recruited enough soldiers so that they are actually over their authorized strength.

And, said Castles, "We're over 100 percent strength."

To bring the state Guard down to its authorized level, he said, "We have to manage the force in a qualitative way so that people who are not coming to drill or are not meaningful performers, or can't meet the physical or weight standards, will not be re-enlisted."

by CNB