By the Numbers: 11 March 2019
891
The number of General and Flag Officers (GFOs) in the Armed Forces as of November 2018, according to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service -- General and Flag Officers in the U.S. Armed Forces: Background and Considerations for Congress.
This "is 72 less than the maximum of 963 authorized by law." GFOs made up about one-twentieth of one percent (0.048%) of the total force in 1965, while they made up about one-fifteenth of one percent (0.069%) of the total force in 2018, indicating that the share of the total force made up of GFOs increased by 44%. Some argue that this increased proportion of GFOs is wasteful and contributes to more bureaucratic decisionmaking processes. Others counter that the increased proportion is linked to the military’s greater emphasis on joint and coalition operations, core organizational requirements, and the increasing use of advanced technologies.
891
The number of General and Flag Officers (GFOs) in the Armed Forces as of November 2018, according to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service -- General and Flag Officers in the U.S. Armed Forces: Background and Considerations for Congress.
This "is 72 less than the maximum of 963 authorized by law." GFOs made up about one-twentieth of one percent (0.048%) of the total force in 1965, while they made up about one-fifteenth of one percent (0.069%) of the total force in 2018, indicating that the share of the total force made up of GFOs increased by 44%. Some argue that this increased proportion of GFOs is wasteful and contributes to more bureaucratic decisionmaking processes. Others counter that the increased proportion is linked to the military’s greater emphasis on joint and coalition operations, core organizational requirements, and the increasing use of advanced technologies.