Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has initiated a significant shake-up within the Pentagon, prompting the mass resignation of nearly all personnel from the Defense Digital Service (DDS).
This development marks a pivotal shift as DOGE assumes control, transferring responsibilities to the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office.
According to Politico, the resignations, driven by Musk's influence, will effectively dismantle the DDS by the end of April. The DDS, established in 2015, was designed to infuse Silicon Valley-style innovation into the Pentagon, addressing national security challenges with rapid technological solutions. Its contributions included creating tools for military operations during the Afghanistan withdrawal, managing databases for Ukrainian aid, and developing drone detection technologies.
The departure of the DDS staff raises concerns about the future of the Department of Defense's (DOD) tech initiatives. A soon-to-be former employee expressed apprehension that key efforts to enhance the DOD's tech talent pipeline and counter adversarial drones might be discontinued. The DDS, once heralded as the Pentagon's "SWAT team of nerds," represented an early attempt to integrate Silicon Valley's innovative spirit into the military's vast bureaucracy.
Jennifer Hay, the director of the 14-member office, is set to depart by May 1, alongside eleven colleagues who plan to accept President Donald Trump's deferred resignation package. The remaining two staff members are also preparing to leave. This transition underscores a broader shift towards efficiency and innovation within the Pentagon, as traditional approaches give way to new strategies under Musk's leadership.
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