The Coast Guard is preparing to cut up to 12 flag officer positions over the next seven months, according to a memo issued by the acting commandant of the service.
“As part of Force Design 2028, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has determined that there is redundant executive oversight in our force structure which hinders efficient decision making and service effectiveness,” reads the May 15 message issued by Adm. Kevin Lunday to the service.
“As a result, and consistent with similar efforts within the Department of Defense, the Secretary has ordered a reduction of no less than 25 percent of flag officer positions by [Jan. 1, 2026]. The positions to be eliminated and the plan to reorganize the flag corps will be announced in separate correspondence.”
As of Friday the Coast Guard has 46 flag officers — 43 active flags and three reserve. A 25 percent reduction in flag ranks would be about 12 officers.
At the direction of Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, the Coast Guard also canceled the results of the last one-star admiral promotion board announced last year that would have promoted six Coast Guard captains to flag officers.
“The [Homeland Security] Secretary also disapproved the Promotion Year 2025 rear admiral … selection board after determining that the guidance to the board did not align with the Administration’s policies. The Secretary’s action also supports planning to reorganize the leadership structure,” reads the message.
The new board will meet under new guidance. When contacted by USNI News on Friday, a Coast Guard spokesperson did not elaborate on which policies from the 2025 board do not align with the Trump administration. Lunday has served as the acting commandant of the Coast Guard since DHS removed former commandant Adm. Linda Fagan from leadership of the service in January.
The planned reduction in flag officers comes as the Coast Guard continues a planned Force Design 2030 refresh that could receive a $22.5 billion jumpstart via supplemental funding to the service’s budget as part of the reconciliation bill currently working its way through Congress. That money includes $14.6 billion in planned spending that could add 30 new cutters to the service.
The Coast Guard force design effort also comes as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced his “less generals, more G.I.s” plan to reduce 20 percent of four-star flag and general officers in the active-duty military force and 10 percent in the flag and general officer corps.
