What's the most important thing the military should do while going through this downsizing period?

Downsizing the military at anytime is a mistake, The military should cut out subcontracting in things such as building projects (we have engineer soldiers), Heavy equipment operators (soldiers) Medical Health ( soldiers are Doctors and nurses). First lets stop wasting funs to employ people we don't need and use our soldiers that is setting in the motor pool doing nothing. When we are full strength the country is strong. How can we cut out people that has Volunteered to protect and serve this great nation. When we can and have the money then sub contract. Don't cut soldiers to save money.

Concentrate on increasing its standards for new recruits while also adding in preparation for the skills needed to enter the civilian workplace. Work to reduce the financial hardships are warrriors and their families endure while assigned in and outside of CONUS. Take alook at base housing allotments by rank. It should start with less units allocated by how high your rank is and trickle down to the lower ranks. They are the ones who live paycheck to paycheck!

This went on in the late 1980's, what must be understood is that in the downsizing men and women who have served this great country because they chose to need to be given the opportunities to find work. Where training may be available and needed, it needs to be offered. In today's economic conditions the last thing that can happen is for our men and women to be left out on the outside looking in. Our history in this is poor at best and needs to be improved, here is the chance. Please consider for those making the decisions what if this was you.... God Bless the USA and all those who have made us what we are...

Get rid of toxic "leaders".  Clean up the ranks, start with those who have received Art. 15s as NCOs and get those hypocrates out of there.  It doesnt matter that they rebuilt, got their rank back, moved on, whatever.  All that means is they know how to cover their tracks better and will be harder to catc in the future.  They seldom stop doing whatever it was they were punished for, they just get better at hiding it.  Also get rid of senior ncos who cant make standards.  they bust tape, get them out, they fail a pt test, get them out, let those of us who can make standards lead in your place with your pay.

Every response I've read so far is solely concerned with "military" in the form of headquarters and regulations etc. Such ideas are fantastic, but I feel like these ideas have always existed in one form or another. I think we should use the term military to refer to the people within it. During my short time as an enlisted soldier, I realized that we constantly focus on the negative. These people should be discharged, these people don't belong in our military, these people are idiots / failures. How long has this been the norm? It seemed like every "leader" I ever met just had to use the buzzword "family" to instantly appear perfect for a promotion. That is really the saddest part: the military has become disjointed and uncaring again. We should be asking what we can do for eachother as the military is forced to make drastic cuts which few, if any, people want. We need to focus on bringing back the ideal that we must take care of eachother. When a soldier struggles we all need to step up and help; we can't just scream for a discharge. If people actually felt like the military was a family then no one would have to fear talking about the problems they've faced or the things they've dealt with down range. I fell victim to the phrase "I love the Army, but I hate some of the people." In times like this the "military" needs to take care of people more than ever. I have already seen many excellent soldiers lossed because people did not provide them with help. We must keep the people who stay awake late into the night and wake up early in the morning just to help a fellow servicemember. The military leadership will be forced into cutting at least a few perfectly capable men and women, but we cannot be stopped from taking care of eachother during such times.

Upon my review of everyone's composition to this discussion, essentially
draws conclusion to innovation (which is a constant), core standards
implementation; maintain qualifications, fitness, and readiness. Chapter
those perfunctory personnel, and promote, educate, train intellectual
human capital.

Furthermore, leadership elites need disengage
bureaucracies, and concentrate on the source of
the matter. Combine & consolidate elements
that can be, and minimize expenditures/overhead by referring and collaborating with Unit senior leadership with OPEN communication.
Senior leadership must refer and collaborate with their mid-level
management, address mission essential information and address quality
improvements & risk management.

Likewise, establish record
documentation to illustrate/prove goal success or troubleshoot with open
communication. Re-evaluate until proven favorable results, or
re-evaluate plan of action with current knowledge to reflect and avoid
repeated mistakes.

What is your response? I think the whole Department of Defense should make the time allotted to training of troops, look where they can manage the manpower and logistics more logical and feasible, take the time to heal those wounds from soldiers that are coming back from deployment, take this time to get with the families of military members and see what they need or can contribute to other military families who are desperately in need of support and aid.

We need to be very careful and pay heed to history.  Our enemies never strike when we are at our best.  They always strike when they know we can't readily retaliate.  As the leaders of the "Free World" we should never be discussing draw downs; we should always be discussing "FEBA."  The forward edge of the new battlefield is not defined by borders but ideology.