- Senator Tommy Tuberville’s control over military candidates has ripples throughout the Pentagon.
- Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley to resign soon. The military wants a successor ready.
- But Mr. Tuberville continues to stand by his stand against the Pentagon’s new abortion policy.
Since February, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has blocked the approval of about 250 military candidates over the Pentagon’s new abortion policy, prompting not only Democrats but also some Republicans. even dissatisfied.
In general, the introduction of the Pentagon’s nomination into the Senate is merely a formality, but with four of the eight-member Joint Chiefs of Staff impending retirements this year, Mr. Tuberville’s blockade is critical to national security. can have an impact.
Mr. Tuberville is furious that the Pentagon has responded to the Roe v. Wade cover-up by giving military personnel leave and travel expenses for reproductive medicine, including abortion procedures, and that the Biden administration has pushed him to do so. I am not going to let up on my protest against what I have claimed to be. To turn the military into a “left-wing social engineering agency.”
But if the senator’s lockdown continues over the next few weeks, the leaders of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, along with the president, will not be appointed to replace them. Such a development would be alarming from a national security perspective in peacetime, but there is a lack of continuity at the top of the military leadership as the United States continues to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces. , annoyed A bipartisan group of lawmakers who want an end to the blockade.
Candidate suspension comes as the United States continues to steer diplomatic relations with China.
Arnold Punaro, a retired Marine Major General and former employee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: told Politico “We are taking military candidates as political hostages,” Mr. Tuberville said.
“We can’t get around this. They are political hostages to policies that the current administration disagrees with,” Mr. Punaro said.
With the number of unidentified military candidates growing, Mr. Tuberville continues to pursue his position and vow to end the blockade until either the Pentagon withdraws its new policy or the Senate votes on abortion policy. Stated.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned senators in March that the looting could have serious implications for the country’s preparedness.
“Globally, there are a lot of things going on that indicate when we might be competing,” he said at the time. “Failure to approve recommendations for promotion actually creates a ripple effect of unprepared forces more than necessary.”
“The impact will be cumulative and will affect families. Children who go to school will be impacted because they cannot change their place of work. This is a powerful impact and will affect our preparedness. ‘ he continued.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. is the person President Joe Biden has nominated to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File
Mr. Tuberville said he had minimal communication with Austin and had not consulted with the White House on the matter.
And even if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York was able to schedule ballots for each of the stalled candidates, the hold would lengthen the process and could take months to complete. It is certain.
Punaro told Politico that “there are some serious holes in the main command.” “This has a huge negative impact on military preparedness and cannot be avoided.”
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, is set to step down by October 1. There will also be Senate committee hearings on Biden-appointed Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. It will be held later this month as Millie’s successor.
If Brown’s approval is not obtained by October 1, Millie will have to turn over the responsibilities to Vice Chairman Admiral Christopher Grady in the meantime.
Senator Jack Reed (Rhode Island), the Democratic chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said in March that addressing unresolved issues was critical to maintaining stability in Pentagon leadership. .
“I haven’t seen so many important military positions in circulation in almost 30 years here,” Reed said at the time.
“If we can’t resolve the situation, we will be left without leadership in many ways in the midst of a massive conflict,” he continued. “Therefore, I would like to ask for your prompt attention to this matter.”