Yorktown, Va. (March 11, 2025) Civilian Firefighters assigned to Naval Weapons Station Yorktown’s Fire & Emergency Services Department conduct training utilizing a submersible water pump and a truck mounted water cannon at the installation’s R-3 weapons pier. (Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida). The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Image: DoD
By: FEDweek StaffThe Defense Department force of civilian firefighters has been about a tenth below what the department considers to be the minimum, the GAO has said in the latest of many reports on understaffing by occupation and/or agency even before the workforce reductions of the Trump administration.
DoD’s “structural” firefighter workforce of about 8,800 responds to events such as fires in buildings and other hazards—as opposed to wildland firefighters or various agencies which also have been found to be short-staffed. However, GAO said that over 2019-2023, DoD employed only about 93 percent of its authorized levels.
DoD considers the authorized level “the minimum staffing that must be maintained to ensure safe operations and that staffing below the authorized levels increases the department’s risk of property loss and environmental damage.” However, it has taken only “limited” steps in response to the shortage, GAO said, for example concluding that competition from local fire departments is a cause.
At five selected locations, GAO found that DoD firefighters at each “worked more hours than local firefighters and made less per hour in base compensation, while total cash compensation varied.” Other issues, GAO said, include an “inefficient” and lengthy hiring process that dissuades candidates, outdated standards that leave firefighters concerned about their career progression, and lack of funding.
However, the department “has not developed and implemented a department-wide strategy to mitigate the causes of and close” staffing gaps and “has not consistently set staffing targets for its civilian firefighter workforce or reported on progress in closing identified gaps,” GAO said. Further, the military services have not consistently developed or implemented strategic human capital plans for those jobs as required by DoD policy, it said.
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