The US Department of Defense (DOD) plans to cut its civilian workforce by five to eight percent, resulting in up to 61,000 job losses. The first round of firings will target 5,400 “probationary employees” – those hired or promoted within the past year and with fewer civil-service protections.
As of June 2024, the DOD employed 764,000 civilians. The cost-saving goal was announced by Darin Selnick, who is temporarily serving as the personnel chief. Pentagon officials claim the firings will only hit “underperformers,” but this has raised concerns about the impact on veteran employees and those with broad protections.
The move follows cuts at other federal agencies, including the Department of Government Efficiency, a White House advisory board. A hiring freeze will be implemented after next week’s firings, followed by a thorough review of civilian personnel needs to identify redundancies. The DOD has also faced criticism for shifting funding from climate change and “woke programs” deemed not in line with President Donald Trump’s priorities.
The first round of firings was initially expected this week but were delayed due to concerns about the impact on lethality and readiness. The White House has not released a detailed tally of federal workers who have lost their jobs, but reports suggest over 19,000 probationary employees across various departments have been affected.
Source: https://www.govexec.com/defense/2025/02/pentagon-fire-61000-workers-starting-5400-next-week-says-dod/403199