Kiggans Urges Secretary of Defense to Limit Veteran Layoffs within DoD

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth highlighting the critical need to prevent workforce reductions within the Department of Defense (DoD) from causing undue harm to veterans and America’s national security. 

On February 21, 2025, the DoD announced it would be re-evaluating its probationary workforce, consistent with the President’s initiative to reform the Federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. In its initial estimates, the DoD anticipated reducing the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8%. According to OPM data, over 330,000 veterans were employed by the DoD in FY2020. Virginia’s Second Congressional District is home to 196,000 veterans and 180,000 active-duty military and DoD employees.

“Our community in Hampton Roads is deeply connected to the military, with many veterans who have served our country now serving in civilian jobs at DoD that directly support the defense of our great nation,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a commonsense conservative, I believe we can responsibly rein in waste while ensuring DoD personnel with prior military service remain in positions where they can continue to contribute to our national security. Any reductions or reforms to the size and scope of the federal government that risk weakening our defense capabilities, particularly as we face increasing global threats, are unacceptable.”

You can find the full letter here and below:

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

I am writing to express concern regarding the recent workforce reductions within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the significant impact this would have on both national security and the veterans who reside in my district. As you are aware, the DoD has laid off thousands of employees, many of whom are veterans who have dedicated their careers to serving our country. These layoffs are not just a loss of jobs but also a loss of the skilled workforce that is essential to ensuring our defense readiness.  President Trump pledged that he would work to minimize job losses for veterans.  I hope the DoD is following that promise.  

I represent Virginia’s Second Congressional District in Hampton Roads, home to the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic fleet and the second largest veteran population in the United States. This means my constituents are particularly vulnerable to these cuts. VA-02 is deeply connected to the military with many veterans who have served our nation and now civilian jobs at DoD that directly support the defense of our nation. For these veterans, many of whom already experience the daily challenges of transitioning to civilian life, facing such layoffs only add to their burden. At a time when we are seeing global instability and rising threats from adversaries like China and Russia, it is vital that we protect our skilled workforce and focus on maintaining a robust and capable Department of Defense.

Given your commitment to both our national defense and the well-being of our veterans, I respectfully ask that you consider action to:

1. Prioritize Veterans in Workforce Reductions: Ensure that veterans employed by the DoD are not disproportionately affected by these layoffs. Their unique skills and dedication are critical to maintaining the strength of our military.
2. Provide Support for Transitioning Veterans: Offer veterans priority access to other federal positions, particularly in roles that leverage their expertise and commitment to national defense.
3. Use our Veterans to Strengthen National Security: These reductions risk weakening our defense capabilities, particularly as we face increasing global threats. Ensuring that DoD personnel—especially those with military experience—remain in positions where they can contribute to our national security is essential.

I am confident that under your leadership, the Department of Defense can take decisive action to both support our veterans and preserve the integrity of our national defense workforce.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to working with you to address this issue and to ensure that our defense workforce remains strong and ready to meet the challenges ahead.

###