In a memo signed March 28, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a sweeping realignment of the Department of Defense’s nearly 900,000 civilian employees. Dubbed the “Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative,” the directive promises to cut through bureaucracy, eliminate redundancies, and redirect resources to better support warfighters. Translation? Fewer desks, more mission-focused roles. The memo reopens the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), along with voluntary early retirement—giving civilian personnel the option to exit with full pay and benefits by September 30. But this time, it’s the DoD, not OPM directing it for their organization. Hegseth made it clear: “Exemptions should be rare.” He’s urging maximum voluntary participation to avoid more painful cuts later. Leaders across the department now have until April 11 to hand in reimagined org charts, laying the groundwork for what Hegseth calls a “lean, mean” defense machine.
Layoffs: Oracle
Another round of Oracle layoffs has quietly rolled out this week, with reports suggesting the impact may be widespread—though the company hasn’t confirmed the exact number of employees affected. Online discussions, including posts on TheLayoff.com and Reddit, indicate that teams within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and other departments were impacted, including some senior and principal-level roles. Some employees noted that the layoffs didn’t appear to be performance-based, but rather part of broader organizational changes. Speculation points to potential cuts of around 7% of Oracle’s global workforce, which would translate to roughly 11,000 employees. The timing comes just ahead of Oracle’s upcoming earnings report, and while it’s not unusual for companies to streamline operations during transitional periods, the news still hits hard for those involved. As of now, Oracle has not issued a formal statement, but we’ll continue to follow updates as they emerge.
Hiring: FAA
The FAA is stepping up in a big way this year, announcing plans to hire 2,000 new air traffic controller trainees in 2025 as it addresses a significant staffing shortfall. Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau shared the update ahead of a Senate hearing, noting that the agency is about 3,500 controllers below its target—leaving current staff stretched thin with mandatory overtime and six-day workweeks. In addition to ramping up hiring, the FAA will continue its close oversight of Boeing, maintaining regular monitoring of the company’s manufacturing practices and safety processes. This comes as part of the agency’s broader commitment to aviation safety and accountability across the industry. The FAA is also launching a new safety panel to review interactions between helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, following a tragic collision earlier this year. As momentum builds to modernize U.S. aviation infrastructure, the FAA is focused on strengthening safety systems, supporting its workforce, and reinforcing public confidence in air travel.
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Opportunity to Watch
L3Harris Technologies has officially wrapped up the sale of its Commercial Aviation Solutions (CAS) business, handing it off to private equity firm TJC L.P. for $800 million in cash. The deal, first announced earlier, closed with the full amount delivered at signing—no delays, no strings. CAS, which focused on commercial flight training, data analytics, and avionics, was previously part of L3Harris’ Integrated Missions Systems segment. The move signals L3Harris’ continued focus on its core defense and national security mission, leaning into its “Trusted Disruptor” role across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains.
