Gen. Odierno announces that the Army will reduce its number of brigade combat teams Chief of Staff of the Army General Ray Odierno announces that the Army will reduce its number of brigade combat teams from 45 to 33 during a press conference in the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on June 25, 2013. Odierno also told reporters the Army will shrink its active component end strength by 14 percent, or 80,000 soldiers, to 490,000, from a wartime high of 570,000. SHARE IMAGE: Download Image: Full Size (0.05 MB) Photo By: VIRIN: 730190-G-ZRK02-359.jpg Photo Gallery