.png){kind=icon}
Administrator- Joined
- May 11, 2013
- Posts
- 24,887
- Reaction score
- 13,613
- Points
- 2,755
- Location
- Morganton, N.C.
- Website
- conversations-ii.freeforums.net
(The Guardian) The US navy became the third branch of the military to no longer have a Senate-confirmed leader for the first time in history, as Republican senator Tommy Tuberville continues his blockade on military nominations over the Pentagon’s abortion policy.
The Navy, Army and Marine Corps are now all without a confirmed leader, after retiring chief of naval operations Adm Mike Gilday gave up command on Monday.
Since February, Tuberville has been protesting Pentagon policy that allows service members to travel for abortion care if their state does not provide it. His method is to place a hold on all promotions to senior ranks that are subject to Senate confirmation, usually a pro forma process carried out with unanimous consent.
Defense secretary Lloyd Austin, during a relinquishment ceremony for retiring chief of naval operations Adm Mike Gilday, criticized Republican senator Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing hold on senior military promotions. -- “Because of this blanket hold, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, three of our military services are operating without Senate-confirmed leaders,” Austin said. This is unprecedented, it is unnecessary, and it is unsafe.
Austin did not name Tuberville in his speech, but he called on the Senate to confirm “all of our superbly qualified military nominees”, as the US navy became the third branch of the military to no longer have a Senate-confirmed leader.
He added: This sweeping hold is undermining America’s military readiness. It’s hindering our ability to retain our very best officers. And it’s upending the lives of far too many American military families.
The Navy, Army and Marine Corps are now all without a confirmed leader, after retiring chief of naval operations Adm Mike Gilday gave up command on Monday.
Since February, Tuberville has been protesting Pentagon policy that allows service members to travel for abortion care if their state does not provide it. His method is to place a hold on all promotions to senior ranks that are subject to Senate confirmation, usually a pro forma process carried out with unanimous consent.
Defense secretary Lloyd Austin, during a relinquishment ceremony for retiring chief of naval operations Adm Mike Gilday, criticized Republican senator Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing hold on senior military promotions. -- “Because of this blanket hold, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, three of our military services are operating without Senate-confirmed leaders,” Austin said. This is unprecedented, it is unnecessary, and it is unsafe.
Austin did not name Tuberville in his speech, but he called on the Senate to confirm “all of our superbly qualified military nominees”, as the US navy became the third branch of the military to no longer have a Senate-confirmed leader.
He added: This sweeping hold is undermining America’s military readiness. It’s hindering our ability to retain our very best officers. And it’s upending the lives of far too many American military families.
