As the U.S. Army struggles with recruitment, the service is cutting its force by about 24,000 in a restructuring that it says will help the service fight in future wars.

The almost 5% of jobs cut will mostly affect posts that have remained empty and not actual soldiers, according to an Army document published Tuesday.

“The Army is not asking current soldiers to leave. As the Army builds back end strength over the next few years, most installations will likely see an increase in the number of soldiers actually stationed there,” the Army said.

Most of the jobs being slashed are related to counter-insurgency positions that grew during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but are not in high demand today.

Despite the cuts, the Army said it is looking to add another 7,500 troops for other critical missions, including air-defense and counter-drone units and five new task forces around the world with enhanced cyber, intelligence and long-range strike capabilities.

The U.S. military missed its recruiting goals in 2023 by 41,000, going into the new year facing a recruiting crisis, a Pentagon official said in December.

Military leaders at the House Armed Services Committee hearing in December said a competitive job market, declining eligibility and COVID-19 school closures impacted their ability to recruit, among other things.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.