The Chorus Grows: GOFO Must Lead From the Front

The folks at DefenseNews find the center mass:

Three years ago as Defense Department spending was poised for a downturn, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates launched a broad efficiencies drive to cut staffs and stretch each dollar to cover higher-priority needs.

But despite Gates’ high-profile effort that included cutting tens of billions in defense programs, including the F-22 fighter and others, staffs at the Pentagon and regional combatant commands increased by 15 percent between 2010 and 2012, a Defense News analysis shows. The staffs added about 4,500 personnel as the military cut tens of thousands of combat troops and reduced training that undermined readiness.

The bloat is obscene - as is the non-value added admin requirements the feed the need for more and more.

As we have discussed here and at Midrats over the years - there is part of the reason for the bloat that could be fixed, and it wants its K-car back;

... it is time for a new version of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation, which improved US joint war-fighting capabilities, to streamline DoD’s 31 layers of management and correct flaws in the original 1986 law that have fueled ever larger staffs, and higher education and overhead costs. The personnel system must also be revamped, scrapping the current “up-or-out” promotion system.

You should read it all. I'm not sold on all its points, but it is a good conversation starter.

With challenge comes opportunity; we have an opportunity to make the process better for others. Here's the long pole in the tent; even if we have GOFO asking for this - who on The Hill will lead the charge?

Without that - this really isn't going anywhere.