Army Positions Remain Unfilled Amid Ongoing Government Challenges

This week, a significant number—36 out of 65—of positions in the Army Department that require Senate confirmation are still vacant.

While some of President Trump’s nominees for these roles have made it to Senate committees, the process has been a bit uneven. There have been public hearings, but not all nominees have been voted on yet. Some have received votes in committee but are still awaiting a full Senate vote.

Additionally, there are no other filled positions. There have been multiple rejections of candidates, including Jeffrey Bornstein. His nomination for deputy secretary of defense and chief financial officer was withdrawn by the White House just ten days ago, leaving many puzzled—perhaps even Bornstein himself. He seemed like a solid pick, with his background as managing director of a private equity firm and his previous role as CFO at General Electric. He also had a rapport with Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg and had good discussions with President Trump prior to his nomination.

As it stands, more than ten months after President Trump took office, the Department of the Army lacks both an inspector general and a deputy secretary. There isn’t even an acting inspector general to handle responsibilities in the interim.

This role is currently being filled by Jules Hurst, who is “exercising the duties” of auditor general. Hurst has a notable background in defense, having served in the Army and as a defense contractor, along with his role as legislative director for House Speaker Mike Johnson. However, he’s balancing multiple roles—borrowing duties from the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Human Resources and Reserve Affairs and advising on military and civilian personnel policy. On top of that, he’s leading the Task Force on Eliminating DEI Initiatives.

The workload is likely overwhelming, especially with a government shutdown that shows no signs of ending. The President has indicated efforts to ensure military pay continues even during this shutdown. The Department of Defense has redirected $6.5 billion in unused research funds for personnel payments. Nevertheless, with limitations set by the National Defense Authorization Act, only a fraction can be transferred without a congressional waiver, complicating the situation further.

Cap restrictions on transferring funds indicate that ensuring military pay might become increasingly difficult if the shutdown persists. House Speaker Johnson has hinted that the funding transfer is merely a temporary fix and there’s a chance service members might not receive pay even after the shutdown reportedly ends on October 31. While private donations, like a notable $130 million anonymous contribution attributed to a member of the Mellon family, could help, they likely won’t cover the significant shortfall until the government reopens.

With the potential for the shutdown to surpass a previous 35-day record, the Comptroller’s Office must innovate to ensure military pay continues. This includes ongoing coordination with both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. However, it raises the question of whether Jay Hurst can effectively manage all his responsibilities, including human resources, under this strain.

Perhaps it would be wise for the White House and Secretary Hegseth to reconsider placing so much responsibility on one person. Alternatively, they could appoint someone else to manage the auditing tasks. If they believe Hurst is the right fit, maybe it’s worth relieving him from some HR duties until the shutdown concludes and new candidates for both the Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller positions are prepared for Senate approval.