As its website notes, the Defense Digital Service (DDS) was created in 2015 with a mission of bringing "best practices and technologies from the private sector and pairs them with the critical mission of the Department of Defense."

Yet the entity's staff are all preparing to quit as insiders allege that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has rendered them irrelevant. 

DDS director: "Either we die quickly or we die slowly"

According to Politico, all 14 members of DDS' staff are expected to step down from their positions over the course of this month.

Jennifer Hay serves as DDS director, and she described how members of her team had initially thought that they would be asked to collaborate with DOGE.

"The reason we stuck it out as long as we have is that we thought we were going to be called in," she said in an interview with Politico.

However, she said it became apparent that DOGE was sidelining DDS, leading Hay to remark, "The best way to put it, I think, is either we die quickly or we die slowly."

Former official accuses DOGE of "smashing everything"

An unnamed source echoed Hays' remarks by providing a similar perspective perspective when speaking with The Hill, stating, "Although DDS was excited to support DoD’s efforts to improve efficiencies and champion software modernization initiatives, the Administration was not leveraging DDS and hiring freezes, rescinding remote work, and travel restrictions were making us non-mission capable."

"As a result, most of the team elected to resign," the individual continued but added that DDS has "found permanent homes for most of our ongoing projects."

Meanwhile, a former Pentagon official who spoke on the condition of anonymity cast aspirations on the efficacy of DOGE's efforts.

"They’re not really using AI, they’re not really driving efficiency. What they’re doing is smashing everything," the official was quoted as telling Politico.

Inspector general's audit of DDS finds troubling practices

Nevertheless, Politico recalled how an audit by the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General found evidence of malfeasance.

JUST RELEASED: Audit of the Defense Digital Service Support of DoD Programs and Operations (Report No. DODIG-2024-087) available here: https://t.co/ihg26oM2Mo pic.twitter.com/DmZyJZFyLE

— DoD Office of Inspector General (@DoD_IG) May 30, 2024

It found that two former DDS directors "exceeded their authority and granted waivers of multiple DOD policies to enable the DDS to use unauthorized digital service tools, including cloud‑based software development platforms and collaboration software, to store, process and transmit controlled unclassified information."

What's more, DDS officials "were able to disregard the cybersecurity requirements of seven DOD policies," something which "exposed DOD information to additional cybersecurity risk and increased the risk of compromise."