A union that represents 250,000 DOD civilian employees is pushing back against House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Ken Calvert (R-Calif.)’s proposal to cut the DOD civilian workforce.

Calvert recently said that DOD could save $125 billion over five years if it did not fill vacant positions when employees leave, as On Base reported.

The American Federation of Government Employees said in a letter to lawmakers and administration officials Thursday that the plan would hollow out the workforce without learning from past mistakes.

“Spending more money on weapon systems or force structure capabilities without the appropriate civilian support for sustainment harms readiness and lethality, increases stress on the force, and incurs additional opportunity costs, detracting from modernization,” the union’s legislative head Julie Tippens wrote, according to CQ, which obtained a copy of the letter.

Marine Corps photo by Jack J. Adamyk