Pentagon is set for major overhaul

WASHINGTON, Sept 30: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to announce a major overhaul of the Pentagon's senior leadership, including plans to cut 20 per cent of positions designated for generals and admirals across the US military.

The announcement is expected Wednesday during Hegseth's State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where he will outline his priorities for the Pentagon and the armed forces in the coming months, according to The Hill, which cited officials familiar with the plans.

The proposed reductions would affect senior leadership positions across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The service branches have reportedly been directed to implement the cuts by January 1, although some positions could be downgraded rather than eliminated.

The planned cuts come as Hegseth has removed or pushed out more than two dozen senior military leaders across the services since taking over at the Pentagon. The personnel changes have drawn concern from lawmakers in both parties.

Hegseth has previously pushed for a smaller senior officer corps. Last year, he sought to reduce the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the US military by at least 10 per cent.

In May 2025, Hegseth also directed the Pentagon to reduce the number of general officers in the National Guard by at least 20 per cent and cut the overall number of general and flag officers - those holding one-star rank or higher - by 10 percent.

At the time, Hegseth called for "Less Generals, more GIs," arguing that the military should shift resources away from what he described as "bloated headquarters elements" and toward warfighters.

He said the reductions were necessary to eliminate "redundant force structure" and streamline military leadership by cutting excess general and flag officer positions.

Hegseth has also moved to change the role of civilian faculty at the US military service academies.

He directed the departments to halt appointments of civilian faculty to tenured positions and develop hiring plans that prioritize "institutional flexibility and faculty contribution to the warfighting mission."

"The primary purpose of our Military Service Academies (MSA) is to prepare the next generation of officers to lead the men and women of the greatest military on Earth," Hegseth said in a one-page memo titled Refocusing the Military Service Academies on Warfighter Education.

He argued that civilian faculty tenure "often leads to academic stagnation, faculty complacency and institutional inability to adapt to emerging needs."

"Additionally, it contributes to a curriculum that drifts from the mission of educating our warfighters to the research priorities of the tenured academics," Hegseth said.

Reports had previously indicated that the Pentagon was considering ending civilian tenure at the military academies.

The leadership shake-up has drawn criticism and concern from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

In July, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed concern about the removal of senior military officers and the blocking of promotions for lower-ranking personnel.

"I find this deeply troubling," Collins said during a hearing. "These are men and women who volunteered to serve our country and swore an oath to support and defend our Constitution."

Senators from both parties, including Collins and Sen. Jack Reed, have also criticized or expressed concern over Hegseth's abrupt removal of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April 2026.

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said during an April hearing that George's removal could have a "chilling effect" on how the armed services operate.

Hegseth has also blocked the promotions of officers selected for one- and two-star general positions.

(UNI)