Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday in a memo that he wants to cut back on the number of four-star generals in the nation’s military in order to increase efficiency as well as cut bloat. He also vowed to cut back 20 percent of the top National Guard leadership.
He called many of the positions “redundant:”
Hegseth directed the Department of Defense to reduce its active component four-star military officers and general officers in the National Guard by at least 20% each, with a minimum 10% reduction of general and flag officers, according to the memo. The move is intended to improve efficiency and officer quality by removing “unnecessary bureaucratic layers that hinder their growth and effectiveness.”
“Through these measures, we will uphold our position as the most lethal fighting force in the world, achieving peace through strength and…