Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has instructed the Department of Defense (DOD) civilian workforce to comply with an email directive from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), requiring employees to list five accomplishments. This marks a shift from earlier guidance that told employees to ignore the request.
In a video message released Sunday, Hegseth emphasized the importance of civilian contributions to national security and the administration’s focus on strengthening the DOD’s warfighting mission. The directive follows coordination with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which originally issued a similar request last week.
In the video message, Hegseth commented: “Our civilian patriots who dedicate themselves to defending this nation working for the Department of Defense are critical to our national security. As we work to restore focus on DOD’s core war fighting mission under President Trump’s leadership, we recognize that we cannot accomplish that mission without the strong and important contributions of our civilian workforce.”
Hegseth’s memorandum, signed Friday, informs DOD civilian employees that they must reply to Monday’s email within 48 hours, listing their accomplishments and copying their supervisors. Responses will be collected within the department to meet OPM’s requirement. While Hegseth clarified that sensitive or classified information should not be included, he warned that non-compliance could result in further review.
Musk, leading DOGE under President Trump’s administration, publicly acknowledged Hegseth’s directive, sharing the video on X with a salute and an American flag emoji. The DOD initially resisted the requirement, but after further guidance from OPM, it has now mandated full compliance. The initiative underscores the administration’s push for increased accountability and efficiency within the federal government.
