Defense secretary rips Tuberville-led hold on promotions

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is blasting Senate Republicans for the “irresponsible” and “unprecedented” hold on top military promotions and nominations, warning it will hurt military families should it continue. 

In a May 5 letter, Austin details the hits to national security and risks to military readiness due to Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) hold on 184 general and flag officer nominations.

Tuberville has led the hold since February in protest of new Defense Department reproductive health policies that allow, among other stipulations, paid leave and reimbursement for service members who travel for an abortion. 

The delays, which Austin says are “unprecedented in its scale and scope,” pose “a clear risk to U.S. military readiness, especially at this critical time,” he writes.  

“This indefinite hold harms America’s national security and hinders the Pentagon’s normal operations,” Austin continues. “The longer that this hold persists, the greater the risk the U.S. military runs in every theater, every domain, and every Service.”  

Austin was responding to an April 7 query from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who asked the Pentagon chief about the national and military readiness impacts of Tuberville’s holds. 

Tuberville late last month blocked an attempt from Warren to advance the nominees by refusing to join a unanimous confirmation vote, arguing federal funding cannot be used to perform abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in danger.

The U.S. military, however, does not perform such procedures except in the three covered situations.  

Several other Republican senators are supporting the holdup, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). 

Among the most significant of the delays are 64 three- and four-star nominations for top positions that will become empty within the next four months, including the Army chief of staff, chief of Naval Operations, the commandant and assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, director of the National Security Agency, head of U.S. Cyber Command and commander of U.S. Northern Command.  

In addition, President Biden is expected to announce his nomination for the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff soon — a position Army Gen. Mark Milley is set to rotate out of at the end of September — as well as the next vice chiefs of staff of the Army and Air Force. 

“Without these leaders in place, the U.S. military will incur an unnecessary and unprecedented degree of risk at a moment when our adversaries may seek to test our resolve,” Austin warns.  

He adds the holds make it “harder for the United States to fulfill its global leadership responsibilities, including to our treaty allies and our valued partners around the world,” creating “unnecessary uncertainty.”  

What’s more, the nomination hold would also hurt military families as it delays the system of promoting and moving them to new assignments. This, in turn, can prevent military spouses from accepting new jobs, keep children from moving to new schools and “impose needless additional stress” on the families, Austin argues.  

“Ultimately, the breakdown of the normal flow of leadership across the Department’s carefully cultivated promotion and transition system will breed uncertainty and confusion across the U.S. military,” Austin concludes. “This protracted hold means uncertainty for our Service members and their families and rising disquiet from our allies and partners, at a moment when our competitors and adversaries are watching.”