The Defense Department's end-of-year spending spree included over $60k on Herman Miller chairs

"The DoD goes on an annual spend-it-or-lose-it buying spree every fall no matter the president or party, Open The Books found over a decade of tracking it. The group called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to rein in the use-it-or-lose-it approach the agency takes to its budget. Instead, 2025's spending was a record."

"With nearly 3 million military and civilian employees, the DoD is one of the largest employers in the U.S. That's a lot of butts in seats, which means a big budget for chairs and other office furniture. Open The Books found furniture purchases spike 564% every September over the monthly average across the other 11 months of the year."

"The DoD spent $60,719 for chairs from the Michigan furniture manufacturer last September, according to the report from the watchdog group Open The Books, including at least one $1,844 Aeron Chair, the brand's popular, ergonomic, fabric-meshed office chair."

The Department of Defense spent a record $93 billion in September during a fiscal year-end spending spree, with $60,719 allocated to Herman Miller office furniture including ergonomic Aeron chairs. This spending pattern occurs annually regardless of administration or political party, with furniture purchases spiking 564% in September compared to other months. The DoD spent $225.6 million total on furniture last year. Herman Miller, holding a federal contract for over 40 years, represents a small portion of this spending. The watchdog group Open The Books documented this recurring pattern over a decade and called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to address the use-it-or-lose-it budgeting approach, though 2025 spending reached record levels.

Read at Fast Company