On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegses announced a decision to cut the number of military generals and flag officers by 20%. He believes this move will improve “strategic preparation and operational effectiveness.”
The cuts will roll out in two stages. Initially, at least 20% of the active four-star generals and flag officers, or admirals, will be removed from the Army. The second phase will see an overall 10% reduction across the Department of Defense, coinciding with a reorganization of the unified command plan.
Hegses humorously referred to his initiative as “Less General’s GIS,” which can be seen in videos shared on x.
The Secretary emphasized that this “historic” order aligns with President Trump’s vision of achieving peace through strength.
“We’re reallocating resources from oversized headquarters to fighter jets,” he stated.
He pointed out that the number of high-ranking military officials has grown since World War II, while troop numbers have decreased significantly. During that war, there were 17 four- and five-star generals overseeing around 12 million troops, but now 44 four-star generals and flag officers manage just 2.1 million service members.
“Having more generals and admirals doesn’t equate to greater success,” he maintained.
This isn’t about penalizing high-ranking officers, he clarified. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.” He described the process as deliberate, aiming to maximize operational effectiveness through thoughtful reductions in ranks.
Hegses mentioned that the upcoming review of the military’s unified command plan would be the most thorough in nearly four decades.
“It’s going to be done carefully but swiftly,” he reiterated. “We can’t afford to delay. We’ve streamlined operations, which, in turn, means cutting down on general officers.”
