The Justice Department, on behalf of DOD, has filed an appeal to the ruling issued earlier this year by US District Court Judge Emmett Sullivan that would alter the Pentagon’s plan for labor relations under the new National Security Personnel System. According to the judge, NSPS fall short in the collective bargaining arena. Pentagon officials disagreed, saying the new system provided them flexibilities and preserved employee protections. DOD has been proceeding with other elements—such as performance management and compensation and classification—to move 11,000 non-bargaining unit employees in “spiral 1.1” under at least those aspects by late spring.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.