The United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, announced a major military reform plan on Monday, May 5th, aimed at significantly reducing the number of top military leadership positions in order to reshape the command structure, enhance combat power, and improve overall troop efficiency.
According to a memorandum released by the Department of Defense on that day, the core objective of this reform is to strengthen the lethal striking capability of the U.S. military, ensuring the ability to swiftly achieve decisive victories when faced with any threat. Specifically, the number of four-star general positions in active-duty forces will be cut by at least 20%, and the ranks of officers in the National Guard will also see a simultaneous reduction of at least 20%.
Furthermore, as part of the “Unified Command Plan” restructuring, the overall number of generals and flag officers within the U.S. military will be further reduced by at least 10%. This plan, which outlines the global command responsibilities of the U.S. military, may lead to potential consolidations such as the merging of the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and the U.S. African Command (AFRICOM), as well as the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), further adjusting the command framework.
Hegseth took to the social media platform X to announce the policy named “Less Generals, More GIs,” emphasizing the redirection of more resources towards frontline combat forces rather than maintaining a bloated high-level bureaucratic system. He stressed that this initiative is not targeting individual leaders but rather aimed at enhancing the flexibility and combat readiness of the military as a whole.
He pointed out that when he took office, the U.S. military had around 800 officers, including 44 four-star generals commanding 2.1 million soldiers. In comparison, during World War II, the U.S. military had a force of 12 million people but only 17 four or five-star generals, illustrating the current issue of bloated top-level structure.
Since coming into office, Hegseth has replaced several high-ranking military leaders, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti. He has also publicly criticized the military’s excessive focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, advocating for a refocus on military strength and combat readiness.
“Our goal is to keep the U.S. military as the world’s most powerful and lethal armed force, and this reform is a crucial step towards achieving that goal,” emphasized Hegseth.
However, this reform has faced scrutiny from Congress. Democratic Senator Jack Reed, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated, “Such reductions should be based on comprehensive strategic assessments and analyses rather than arbitrary percentage targets.”
This restructuring of the military leadership is seen as the most extensive and profound reform since the implementation of the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. The act, which strengthened the authority of combatant commanders and promoted interservice integration, laid the foundation for the modern U.S. military’s joint warfare system, and is considered one of the most significant reforms in the history of the U.S. defense establishment.
(This article referenced reports from Reuters and Politico magazine)