Page 1 GAO-25-107397 DOD DEI Workforce Reductions
April 17, 2025
The Honorable Roger F. Wicker
Chairman
The Honorable Jack Reed
Ranking Member
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
The Honorable Mike Rogers
Chairman
The Honorable Adam Smith
Ranking Member
Committee on Armed Services
House of Representatives
Department of Defense: DEI Workforce Reductions
Provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 required the
Department of Defense (DOD) to make changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
workforce. For example, section 1101 of the act prohibited DOD from appointing or employing
any civilian in a position with primary duties related to DEI above a certain rate of pay. Section
1101 further required DOD to reassign civilian employees already in such positions.
1
Senate Report 118-58 contains a provision for us to review DOD’s DEI workforce, including the
number and grade of federal civilian, military, and contract personnel employed to develop and
implement DEI policy across the department.
2
This letter and attached briefing slides provide
observations on the following:
1. How did DOD’s implementation of requirements in section 1101 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 change the number of federal civilian and military
personnel it employs to develop and implement DEI policy?
2. How did DOD use contractors to develop and implement DEI activities across the
department?
3. How did DOD's workforce support and implement its DEI efforts?
To address these objectives, we reviewed policy and other documents, guidance, and
memorandums regarding DOD’s DEI workforce. We also collected DOD DEI workforce data
from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and each
1
Pub. L. No. 118-31, § 1101 (2023).
2
S. Rep. No. 118-58, at 139-40 (2023).
