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The secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force are jointly calling on Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., to end his one-man blockade of senior military promotions.
The secretaries aired their grievances in an op-ed for The Washington Post on Monday, denouncing Tuberville’s choice to block the promotions over a Defense Department policy allowing service members to use paid leave and stipends to travel for abortions and other reproductive care after the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year. Democrats appear unified against Tuberville’s actions, and several Republicans — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — oppose the move as well. (Read my MSNBC colleague Steve Benen’s recap of Tuberville’s shifting explanation for the blockade.)
“As the civilian leaders of the Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Army, we are proud to work alongside exceptional military leaders who are skilled, motivated and empowered to protect our national security,” the secretaries wrote, calling the military leaders “the foundation of America’s enduring military advantage.” But they say “this foundation is being actively eroded by the actions of a single U.S. senator, Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who is blocking the confirmation of our most senior military officers.”
The secretaries say the blockade has prevented the Pentagon from placing “almost 300 of our most experienced and battle-tested leaders into critical posts around the world.” That number could surpass 600 by the end of the year if Tuberville continues his publicity stunt, CNN reported on Tuesday.
And in addition to inflicting professional and financial harm on service members, the blockade puts U.S. national security at risk, too, the secretaries wrote.
The Army, Navy and Marine Corps are being led “by acting officials without the full range of legal authorities necessary to make the decisions that will sustain the United States’ military edge,” they said, adding that many admirals and generals are being forced to perform two roles at once.
And this has led to a strain on military families, the secretaries said:
We know officers who have incurred significant unforeseen expenses and are facing genuine financial stress because they have had to relocate their families or unexpectedly maintain two residences. Military spouses who have worked to build careers of their own are unable to look for jobs because they don’t know when or if they will move. Children haven’t known where they will go to school, which is particularly hard given how frequently military children change schools already.
Tuberville’s hubris is remarkable here. Need I remind you he’s a freshman senator with no prior experience in politics?
And in a few short years, he’s gone from barking orders on the sideline of football games to the front line of a right-wing crusade, where he’s gummed up a typically anodyne promotion process.
The senator’s publicity stunt is lacking in moral, scientific and militaristic authority. All he has is power. But sadly, that’s enough for one man to do a great deal of damage.