Walter Ladwig

“Since the end of the Cold War, the overall size of the force has declined significantly, but we haven’t seen a corresponding reduction in the number of flag officers,”

Walter Ladwig · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-30

Ladwig told Al Jazeera there is a credible case for reform, noting the force has shrunk since the Cold War without a corresponding reduction in flag officers.

“At the same time, we’ve seen headquarters and staffs proliferate.”

Walter Ladwig · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-30

Ladwig told Al Jazeera that while the overall size of the force has declined, headquarters and staffs have proliferated.

“When a military is under civilian control, it means that the elected government has the right to determine defence priorities and reorganise the armed forces accordingly,”

Walter Ladwig · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-30

Ladwig cautioned against interpreting every proposed cut as a power struggle, noting that elected governments have the right to reorganise the armed forces.

“This is a very worrisome pathology, and it’s the kind of thing that produces ineffective militaries in dictatorships.”

Walter Ladwig · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-30

Ladwig described the potential for officer self-censorship as a worrisome pathology that can produce ineffective militaries in dictatorships.

“That might create incentives for military officers to censor themselves rather than provide candid professional military advice, particularly if being politically aligned with the administration is seen as a path to success,”

Walter Ladwig · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-30

Ladwig warned that the changes could encourage military officers to self-censor rather than provide candid professional advice.