The past ten years have seen a slow, but gradual process of restructuring within the military. Current military chief Charles-Henri Delcourt is keen to increase the pace and, charged by Minister of Defence De Crem (CD&V), has come forward with a plan. The current staff complement of 37,297 should be trimmed down to 34,000 by 2013 and to only 30,000 by 2015. The number of barracks is to be reduced by 30 to 40 percent and the air force base at Koksijde on the coast will be limited to small aircraft without crew as from 2012. The activities of the military airport in Bierset will relocate to Beauchevin and the site will be sold. The para commando bases in Tielen and Dienst face closure, and so too the bases in Destelbergen, Jambes, Bastenaken, Knapen and Moorslede. Former Minister of Defence Flahaut (PS) expressed anger at the brutality of the measures and social consequences of these actions in the newspaper De Morgen, admitting however that De Crem has no choice but to sell these bases as he needs the money. According to his party, PS, De Crem's budget is faced with a deficit of 100 million Euros. The minister will come up with a definite restructuring plan at the end of September.

The socialist union ACOD is threatening to take action. The large number of military employees in their fifties will not be replaced when they retire. The union however fears dismissals as a result of Delcourt's accelerated pace of restructuring. The independent union ACMP blames Flahaut and the previous chief of staff Van Daele, who failed to make clear-cut decisions on retrenchments.