The U.S. Department of War on Sept. 25 launched a department-wide mechanism to identify waste, eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, and ensure resources are aligned with the department’s highest warfighting priorities.
The Force Agility and Streamlining Team (FAST) will carry out three main tasks. It will lead efforts to identify duplicate programs, unnecessary administrative processes, inefficient spending and outdated organizational structures. It will also promote greater cost awareness across the department to help institutionalize a more agile, accountable approach to managing taxpayer resources. Finally, it will give department leadership recommendations to strengthen fiscal accountability and modernize business practices.
FAST will be housed within the office of Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst and will report to Hurst. It will work with military departments, the joint staff, defense agencies and field activities, and other department leaders.
“Every dollar we spend should make our military stronger, more ready, and more lethal, which is why good stewardship is not separate from warfighting,” Hurst said. “For too long, layers of bureaucracy and outdated processes have consumed time and resources that belong with our warfighters. Through FAST, the department is establishing a disciplined mechanism to challenge the way we do business, identify where taxpayer dollars are not producing sufficient value, and act on those findings.”