"In a February 19 memo sent to civilians across the DoD, secretary of defense Pete Hegseth wrote that he expects "every supervisor to encourage their civilian employees to volunteer. Leadership must continue to promote this detail program and educate their civilian employees on its importance.""
"An Army civilian employee who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation says that there is "definitely more pressure" now, "at least on the supervisory chain." The employee also states: "I don't know anyone who has taken the job.""
""While details and other short term professional development opportunities are common for Army Civilians, I have never heard of supervisors being REQUIRED to approve such details," the employee says, highlighting the unusual nature of the current pressure campaign."
The Department of Defense issued a February 19 memo directing supervisors to encourage civilian employees to volunteer for details supporting the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement missions. This memo followed a June 2025 authorization allowing DoD civilians to be detailed to DHS. An Army civilian employee reports increased pressure on supervisory chains to promote participation, despite limited actual uptake. The DoD claims nearly 500 civilians have volunteered as of August 2025. The employee notes this represents an unusual requirement for supervisors to approve such details, distinguishing it from typical professional development opportunities.
#department-of-defense #immigration-enforcement #government-workforce #border-security #employee-volunteerism
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