Fort Carson is expected say goodbye to its Abrams tanks and Bradleys in the coming years and hello to more eight-wheeled Strykers.

In two or three years, Fort Carson is expected to swap its 3rd Armored Brigade for a Stryker brigade at Fort Hood . The Texas-based fort will welcome 3rd Armored Brigade to its roster of heavy brigades.

Gen. David Doyle described the change as an identity shift for Fort Carson because the addition of another Stryker brigade will make the base the country’s largest Stryker division. Doyle addressed the coming changes and needs of the base as part of a wide-ranging interview Wednesday just before handing over command of the division and the base.

Doyle expects the shift to all Strykers will offer simplify maintenance needs on vehicles and offer training opportunities.

“I think we’ll be a very innovative formation, making the stryker more lethal and on the battlefield because we’ll just get more practice,” Doyle said.

Currently, 2nd Stryker Brigade is deployed along the border with Mexico supporting Customs and Border Protection, and they have been able to practice some of their key skillsets, such as patrols, he said. The unit is expected to return in the fall.

Strykers provide benefits on the battlefield, because they can access areas off-limits to tracked vehicles and provide speedy transport to foot soldiers with a reasonable amount of protection, he explained.

The departure of the armored units means Fort Carson won’t be able to do its own combined arms training to bring together Strykers, with their armored counterparts. But Doyle said if the Stryker teams build unique skills they would be in demand, and other heavy units will be interested in training with Fort Carson’s Stryker brigades.

In addition to the brigade swap with Fort Hood, the base is expected to deactivate the 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade as part of the larger Army restructuring effort. The security force assistance brigade advises, supports, and assists allied nations.

The deactivation and the brigade swap will result in about 600 fewer soldiers on post at Fort Carson, a number Doyle doesn’t expect will be noticed.

At the same time, the Army is seeing recruiting numbers swell with the service branch meeting its year-end goal for 61,000 signed contracts four months ahead of schedule,  according an Army news release.

With time, training and experience, those recruits could help fill Fort Carson’s specific needs for troops trained to work with fuel and senior mechanics, Doyle said.

Fort Carson is a sought-after assignment in the military, Doyle said, and so its staffing numbers are better than some other bases.

Housing issues

To help support the base, Doyle said, he has asked community leaders to continue working on affordable housing so that soldiers coming from lower-cost community’s like Fort Riley, Kan., can find fairly equitable housing. Only about 25% to 30% of Fort Carson’s population lives on post.

He also acknowledged increasing housing stock takes time and all the community partners, such as the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities and city of Fountain have been very receptive and supportive of the base.

“They are such wonderful neighbors, and that relationship remains strong,” he said.