The Defense Reform Initiative mandates staff cuts for the Headquarters of Military Departments and Major Commands.

By 2003, the Headquarters staffs of the Military Departments and Major Commands will be reduced 10 percent from fiscal year 1998 levels.

Taken together with previous reductions begun in the early 1990s, the Headquarters components of the Military Departments and the Combatant Commands will reduce their Headquarters staffs by a total of 29 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998, Congress mandated a 25 percent DoD-wide management Headquarters reduction for 1997 through 2002. We will continue to consult with Congress to modify this legislation to reflect an equitable reduction in management Headquarters across the Department.