Senior Officers Are Not the ‘Villain'
Commentary
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to
Critics of current flag officer numbers some times compare current rosters of admirals and generals to the much smaller number of such leaders
The number of admirals and generals relative to the overall number of troops has been the operative question in flag officer limitations for decades rather than their overall numbers, which by the end of World War two were in the thousands of officers. Before 1980 the military services controlled officer promotions, and the Army and Navy employed quite different systems of officer management. The 1980 Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) mandated common officer management processes across the services, using an 'up or out' system that forced officers out of service earlier than in civilian careers. It also imposed some initial caps on numbers of flag officers which had risen over the Cold War, not so much in overall numbers, but instead relative to the overall number of people in uniform.
ad hoc
grade cap exemptions, many of which had occurred since DOPMA, with a
While DOPMA may have capped the flag and general officer numbers, the
The
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5/5/2025
5/5/2025
Flag officer reductions would undoubtedly figure in cuts that begin with examining the staffs that demand flag leadership. That said, it is unlikely that the ratio of enlisted people to generals and admirals will return to World War two levels so often referenced by those who think there are too many flag and general officers. The continued automation of war alone has reduced the number of enlisted service members, and that trend is likely to continue.
Calls for flag officer reductions appeal to many constituencies, from defense budget hawks intent on cost reductions to some veteran groups who think current U.S. leaders are like the much-maligned '
From
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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