Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a comprehensive transformation of the Army.
In a memo issued Wednesday, Mr. Hegseth directed Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to implement a transformative strategy aimed at streamlining Army structure, eliminating unnecessary spending and reforming the acquisition process.
“To build a leaner, more lethal force, the Army must transform at an accelerated pace by divesting outdated, redundant, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and acquisition systems,” the memo reads. “Simultaneously, the Army must prioritize investments in accordance with the Administration’s strategy, ensuring existing resources are prioritized to improve long-range precision fires, air and missile defense including through the Golden Dome for America, cyber, electronic warfare, and counter-space capabilities.”
The memo aims to address what Mr. Hegseth sees as inefficiencies in the armed forces, calling for several cuts and consolidations. The order seeks to merge headquarters to “generate combat power capable of synchronizing kinetic and non-kinetic fires,” the memo reads.
That means combining the offices of Army Futures Command and the Training and Doctrine Command into one structure. Mr. Hegseth also wants to combine U.S. Army North and U.S. Army South into a singular Force Command focused on domestic defense.
The memo addresses the Army’s hiring and firing procedures. It mandates a revitalization of firing policies to improve talent management. Furthermore, the directive calls for a reduction in general officer roles to streamline operations and emphasizes merit-based prioritization.
The memo’s proposed staffing changes could be related to Mr. Hegseth’s crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion, which he says limit the lethality of U.S. armed forces.
The defense secretary also called for reducing funding for all outdated and unnecessary systems currently used by the Army. That includes reduced spending on legacy sustainment systems, unnecessary climate-related initiatives, excess travel and wasteful contracts.
“As the Army prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, our Nation requires her Army to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other force on Earth. President Trump and I will not let this Nation down,” the defense secretary said in the memo.
