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US Defense Secretary Plans Major Reduction in Military Officer Positions

The Pentagon will unveil plans to cut the number of general and admiral positions by one-fifth, according to a senior defense official. The initiative is expected to be detailed during the defense secretary's upcoming 'State of the Force' address in Virginia.

LSN World News · 30 September 2026

US Defense Secretary Plans Major Reduction in Military Officer Positions

The United States Department of Defense is set to announce a significant restructuring of its senior military leadership, reducing the ranks of generals and admirals by approximately 20 percent, a Pentagon official revealed.

The sweeping personnel initiative will be formally presented during the defense secretary's 'State of the Force' address scheduled to take place in Virginia. The move appears part of broader efforts to streamline military command structures and reallocate resources within the defense establishment.

Such reductions in senior officer positions typically aim to flatten organizational hierarchies and improve operational efficiency across the armed forces. The initiative comes as the Pentagon continues to grapple with budgetary pressures and the need to modernize its force structure.

The scale of the proposed cuts—affecting one in five senior military leadership positions—represents a substantial reorganization that will likely have ripple effects across all branches of the U.S. military. Full details of the implementation timeline and specific unit impacts are expected to be provided during the formal address.