Summary
The Pentagon plans to cut 50,000 to 60,000 civilian employees—5% to 8% of its workforce—primarily through voluntary measures.
The reduction includes resignations under the Deferred Resignation Program, a hiring freeze, and the dismissal of 5,400 underperforming probationary employees. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the probationary terminations.
If voluntary cuts fall short, additional measures may follow. Officials stress that military readiness will not be affected, though some veterans are among those leaving.
The Pentagon has not disclosed whether forced layoffs will be necessary.
Or, this is an attempt to reduce the number of cogs that can/will freeze if asked to do immoral things. Like, the higher the number of people who are running the military, the more people there are that can stop you from the inside if your orders are Nazi-ish.