The Air Force will cut nine Senior Executive Service positions over the next three years, along with 39 general officer positions, in an effort to reduce its senior leadership in line with Department of Defense efficiency mandates, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Phil Breedlove told the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Personnel.
When leadership reductions are complete, the Air Force will have 188 SESs and 261 general officers, making the senior leadership team small than it was on September 11, 2001 and the lowest level of general officers in Air Force history.
“When normalized to its end strength, the Air Force senior leadership size is in line with service requirements and those of our sister services,” Breedlove said. “Ultimately, we believe that we have the correct mix of military officers and civilian executives to provide the Air Force with the best leadership team.”
