Pentagon reshapes civilian workforce to boost warfighter support

In a memo titled "Initiating the Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative," US Defence  Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined a plan to restructure the Department of Defence's (DOD) civilian workforce.

The memo, addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, combatant commanders, and DOD agency and field activity directors, emphasizes the need for a more streamlined workforce to better support American warfighters in line with Hegseth's interim National Defence Strategy guidance, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The memo states the DOD aims to "realign the size of our civilian workforce and strategically restructure it to supercharge our American warfighters." It outlines a strategy to reduce redundancy and cut down on excessive bureaucracy by conducting an honest evaluation of the workforce. Automation, particularly through technological solutions, will also be explored, especially at the headquarters level.

"The net effect will be a reduction in the number of civilian full-time equivalent positions and increased resources in the areas where we need them most," the memo reads.

Hegseth's plan includes two main courses of action. First, he directs the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness to immediately reinstate the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), offering voluntary early retirement for all eligible DOD civilian employees. The DRP, initially launched by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on January 28, 2025, allowed federal employees, including DOD civilians, to resign with full pay and benefits. This program will now be administered by the DOD instead of OPM.

"Exemptions should be rare," Hegseth said. "My intent is to maximize participation so that we can minimize the number of involuntary actions that may be required to achieve the strategic objectives."

Secondly, Hegseth calls for senior DOD leaders to submit a "proposed future-state organizational chart" for their departments. These charts should include functional areas, consolidated management hierarchies, positional titles, and headcounts. The summary of these charts is due to the defense secretary by April 11, 2025.

While the memo does not specify a target for layoffs, it underscores that significant changes are necessary to ensure the department is "on ready footing to deter our enemies and fight for peace." The ultimate goal is to create a "lean, mean and prepared to win" force structure.

To accomplish that goal, it states that the intent of the realignment is to "execute a top-to-bottom methodology that results in a force structure that is lean, mean and prepared to win."

By Vafa Guliyeva