Pentagon Seeks More Generals

The Pentagon told Congress Wednesday it needs another 363 generals and admirals to run the military, but a skeptical Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) said the increase might be more “brass leap” than “brass creep.”

Glenn, head of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s manpower subcommittee, took testimony from five generals and admirals on the Pentagon’s plea to expand the number of general and flag rank slots at the Defense Department, frozen at 1,073 since 1981.

Glenn, a retired Marine colonel, said he wanted to see if there is “a sufficient case to be made for the increase” or “if (the Pentagon) is resorting not to brass creep but to brass leap.”

He also said that regardless of the outcome, he wants Congress next year to examine flag-rank pay scales so that those with more significant duties, such as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are properly rewarded.

“I don’t want to see them all paid the same. Let’s reward them properly instead of rank for rank’s sake. I’d like it to reflect something you can take home and put in the bank.”

If the Pentagon’s request were to be approved, the Army would go from 315 to 393 generals, the Navy from 208 to 344 admirals, the Air Force from 257 to 392 generals and the Marine Corps from 57 to 82 generals. The number of officers assigned to joint duty such as with the Joint Chiefs of Staff would drop from 236 to 225.