The service currently has no Senate-confirmed leaders, according to Business Insider, leaving parts of its leadership and transformation plans unsettled. The changes follow a memo from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that called for a broad Army shift, including greater use of drones, retirement of older systems and changes to the acquisitions process. The transformation was estimated to cost around $36 billion over the next five years. Driscoll and George were among the most visible officials carrying out that agenda.
The US Army’s modernization agenda is facing uncertainty after Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll resigned and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George was dismissed earlier this year. Business Insider reported that Driscoll submitted his resignation on Monday after discussing the state of the Army with President Donald Trump. Driscoll had been associated with efforts to expand drone warfare, change how the Army works with industry and make weapons acquisitions more commercially focused. Driscoll also advanced the Right to Integrate initiative, which sought to connect weapons made by different suppliers so soldiers could use the systems together more easily. George helped advance the Next Generation Command and Control experimentation initiative and backed a drone-focused Army unit in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, George’s acting replacement, disbanded the battalion last month. An Army official told Business Insider that the unit would complete an exercise this month, provide its findings to the Army and then return its focus to airborne infantry. Stacie Pettyjohn of the Center for a New American Security said the decision was puzzling given the Pentagon’s emphasis on drones and the push to integrate them into military formations and operations. The Department of Defense and LaNeve have continued to signal support for technological innovation and uncrewed systems, while LaNeve has also emphasized warfighting fundamentals and soldier readiness. The Army did not provide Business Insider with comment on how the leadership changes could affect those efforts. The report said it remains unclear whether initiatives associated with Driscoll and George will continue or who would lead them if they do.