It has been said before, but as the song says, it bears repeating: “In 1944 there were 256 flags for 6,084 ships; today there are 359 flag officers for 280 ships.”
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique A. Pineiro
On May 12, the Senate Armed Services Committee proposed some pretty substantial cuts to the military’s general and flag officer corps. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2017, the provision proposes cutting the number of generals by 25%, or 222 of the Department of Defense’s 886 generals and admirals.
