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- Defense Department begins cutting workers this week (cbsnews.com)
Layoffs Begin at the Pentagon, Thousands More Expected
Layoffs have begun at the Department of Defense, the nation’s largest federal department. This week, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the branch of the Defense Department responsible for managing the military’s supply chain, dismissed under 100 probationary employees. These initial cuts are part of a larger effort to align resources with the department’s strategic objectives.
While the DLA layoffs impacted less than 100 of its roughly 25,000 employees, significantly more cuts are anticipated this week across other Defense Department offices. A memo circulated Monday to senior Pentagon leadership warned of these imminent reductions, citing the need to “streamline operations and prioritize critical missions” and enhance “war-fighting capacity.”
The memo, signed by Darin Selnick, acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, indicated that probationary employees deemed not “in the public interest” would be terminated as early as March 3rd. The Defense Department has not officially commented on the memo.
Last month, Selnick stated that approximately 5,400 probationary employees would be let go in this initial wave of dismissals. The Department of Defense is one of multiple federal agencies targeted for workforce reductions, following similar actions at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.
The Department of Veterans Affairs also plans to reduce its workforce by as many as 70,000 employees by August, aiming to return to 2019 staffing levels. CBS News analysis indicates that, as of the end of February, at least 23,853 federal employees have been terminated or placed on leave.
These initial layoffs may signal a much larger reduction at the Defense Department. Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced a potential 5% to 8% reduction in its civilian workforce – comprising between 47,500 and 76,000 employees – as part of a broader budget realignment effort in line with the Trump administration’s goals.
Civilian employees at the Defense Department play a crucial role supporting military operations, from intelligence analysis and logistics to cybersecurity and contract management. Probationary employees, defined as those with two years or less on the job, are not afforded the same civil service protections as other federal workers.
The Pentagon currently employs approximately 950,000 civilian personnel.
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- Defense Department begins cutting workers this week (cbsnews.com)