Excerpt: “Provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, enacted on December 22, 2023, required the Department of Defense (DOD) to make changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) workforce. In addition, executive orders issued in January 2025 directed the termination of federal DEI programs and activities and further directed DOD to abolish all DEI offices. GAO found that DOD reduced its civilian workforce in response to the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act by abolishing certain DEI positions and restructuring others. Prior to these changes, according to officials,
- DOD did not widely use contractors to develop and implement DEI activities across the department, and
- DOD’s workforce supported and implemented its DEI program goals and efforts by developing training, supporting DEI committees and working groups, maintaining and analyzing data, and responding to reporting requirements.
After DOD restructured its DEI workforce in response to the law, DOD took steps to implement the 2025 executive orders by abolishing or restructuring all 41 remaining civilian and military positions with primary duties related to DEI; disbanding a federal DEI advisory committee; and initiating a task force to oversee efforts to abolish DEI offices.”
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