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Pete Hegseth to unveil plan cutting top military positions by 20%
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to reduce the number of general and admiral positions in the U.S. military by 20%, doubling last year's 10% cut, aiming for "less generals, more GIs."
- The cuts, described as prudent rather than punitive, must be completed by January 1, 2027, and come amid concerns about administrative bloat in the high-ranking officer corps.
- As of September 2023, there were 809 active-duty generals and flag officers, a number that has grown significantly relative to the total force over the past six decades.
- Hegseth will announce the reductions during his "State of the Force" speech to rank-and-file troops at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, shifting focus from top brass to enlisted personnel.
- Additionally, Hegseth ordered military academies to stop appointing civilian academics to tenured positions, emphasizing a renewed focus on warfighting over traditional academic practices.
