Navy slashes civilian PAO positions to enhance operational effectivity

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FIRST ON FOX: The Navy is taking daring steps to chop crimson tape and sharpen its deal with the battle.

A brand new memo signed by Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan orders a 35% lower to civilian Public Affairs Officer (PAO) billets and strikes all hiring and contracting selections underneath tighter management.

Leaders say the objective is to make the drive leaner, quicker and extra disciplined whereas saving taxpayer cash.

"The memo was signed with the intent to make a extra deadly and agile drive, putting probably the most succesful folks in the best positions to assist the warfighter," a Navy official instructed Fox Information Digital on background. "It seeks to prioritize warfighting readiness, reinforce requirements and self-discipline, in addition to speed up decision-making."

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Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan shakes palms with a Navy officer whereas touring a ship. On Wednesday, Phelan ordered a 35% lower to civilian Public Affairs Officer (PAO) billets. (Courtesy of the Secretary of the Navy)

"The Division of the Navy should guarantee public affairs sources are aligned to warfighting readiness, requirements and self-discipline, and speedy decision-making," the memo states.

Any further, any civilian public affairs hiring should be authorized by the Navy’s Chief of Info (CHINFO) or the Marine Corps Communications Directorate (CD). Contracts for media and messaging assist will even be pooled into one system so instructions throughout the fleet can use the identical course of.

The memo directs that "civilian public affairs billets in headquarters, employees assist, and non-operational environments shall be diminished or eradicated."

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Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan greets sailors throughout a go to. On Wednesday, the Navy introduced it's slashing civilian public affairs jobs. (Courtesy of the Secretary of the Navy)

The modifications come after a evaluation discovered the civilian public affairs workforce had grown far past what was wanted. The research flagged overlapping jobs, inconsistent messaging and inefficient spending.

Navy leaders say the overhaul will not only trim costs , but additionally be certain that each communication effort helps readiness and the women and men on the entrance traces.

The Marine Corps is just not included within the cuts as a result of it's already going by a separate evaluation.

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For the Navy, the memo notes that "some billets could also be realigned to active-duty or reserve Public Affairs Officers," placing extra uniformed leaders in command of telling the Navy’s story.

The directive additionally requires CHINFO and CD to "doc projected value financial savings and assess alternatives to reinvest in fleet assist and uniformed public affairs capability."

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"That is about self-discipline, effectivity and lethality," a senior Navy official instructed Fox Information Digital. "Each useful resource we save here's a useful resource we are able to put again into readiness and the battle."

Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking Information Author for Fox Information Digital, the place she covers politics, the navy, religion, and tradition. A Marine Corps partner, 2025 Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow, and Grasp of Public Coverage graduate, she brings marketing campaign path and coverage expertise to her reporting. Tales will be despatched to jasmine.baehr@fox.com or to @JasmineSBaehr via X .