BERLIN -- Germany's Defense Minister says the country will begin a major restructuring of the military next year as it moves from a Cold War conscript army to one better positioned to face today's threats, while also cutting costs.
Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told reporters Tuesday as he was presented an expert commission's recommendations that the overall restructuring is expected to take five to eight years.
The commission is recommending reducing ministry staff from 3,300 to 1,600 and cutting the military from 250,000 to 180,000 troops. At the same time, it wants to double the number of troops that can be deployed at any one time from 7,000 to 14,000.
Guttenberg says the government will decide by the end of January how to proceed.
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