Marines Face No Confirmed Commandant for First Time in 164 Years

[GMDino]

And you'll never guess why!

OK, you'll guess...

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/06/23/marines-face-no-confirmed-commandant-first-time-164-years.html

Quote:23 Jun 2023
Military.com | By Rebecca Kheel and Konstantin Toropin



The Marine Corps is on track to be led by an acting commandant for the first time in 164 years as senators leave town for two weeks with no end in sight to a standoff over military confirmations.

The term for the current Marine commandant, Gen. David Berger, expires July 10, "at which time he must vacate the office, regardless of whether a successor has been appointed," service spokesperson Maj. Jim Stenger told Military.com in an email last week. Berger's deputy and nominated successor, Gen. Eric Smith, will fill the position in an acting role.


The failure to confirm Smith to be the next Marine Corps chief is due to a single-handed hold on confirmations by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., over Pentagon abortion leave policies. The position is the highest in the military so far to feel the pinch of Tuberville's hold, but the Defense Department has warned that hundreds of officer promotions could be disrupted this year.

"Until a new commandant is confirmed by the Senate and appointed to the position, Gen. Smith will be the acting commandant, retaining the title and position of assistant commandant," Stenger said.

The Senate left for its Fourth of July recess Thursday evening and is not scheduled to be back in session until the same day Berger retires, making it impossible for Smith to be confirmed before Berger leaves.

On Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance Smith's nomination, but the panel's move will have little effect in moving it along. Aside from the Senate's summer absence, Smith now hits the blockade that Tuberville has maintained since February on all general and flag officers.

While the Senate would typically confirm uncontroversial nominees such as Smith quickly after the Armed Services Committee advances them, Tuberville's objection to fast-tracking general and flag officer confirmations means the Marines will be without a Senate-confirmed leader for the first time since Archibald Henderson died in office in 1859, committee staffers told reporters Friday.

Tuberville is using a procedural tactic known as a hold to stonewall all nominees for O-7 and above over his opposition to a Pentagon abortion policy unveiled earlier this year. The policy allows service members to take nonchargeable leave and have their travel expenses paid for if they need to go far from their base to receive an abortion or other reproductive health care not offered by the department, such as in vitro fertilization.

While a hold cannot prevent the Senate from confirming nominees, it requires the chamber to take individual roll call votes on each nominee rather than quickly confirming them in batches with a voice vote as it usually does for military officers. With more than 250 nominees trapped in Tuberville's hold now, and about 650 expected to be caught by the end of the year, confirming them individually would be a months-long, impractical process.

Meanwhile, senators are using their annual defense policy bill to prod the Pentagon to explain the legality of the abortion policy at the center of the confirmation fight.

The version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, advanced by the committee this week would direct the Pentagon to provide a report to Congress on the "legality, oversight functions and processes" related to the abortion leave policy, according to a summary released Friday.

The Justice Department has already conducted a legal analysis of the Pentagon policy. While Republicans who oppose the policy argue it violates legal restrictions on the use of Pentagon funding for abortions, the Justice Department maintains those restrictions apply only to actually performing abortions and that the Defense Department policy is consistent with other government agencies, such as the Peace Corps, which cover costs incidental to abortion.

Senators are asking for the report to be done by July 24 so they receive it before the full Senate votes on the NDAA, committee staffers said Friday. The information in the report could be used for action on the policy when the bill comes to the Senate floor or is being reconciled with the House version of the bill, committee staffers and senators said.

The language on the abortion policy is in the report accompanying the bill, which means it is not legally binding but also that lawmakers can request the Pentagon come back with answers before the bill becomes law.

Calling for a report on the abortion policy was a compromise offered by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., after senators debated and rejected a measure from Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, that would have reversed the Pentagon policy entirely, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told reporters Friday.

"It was a spirited discussion, and it took a long time," Kaine said about the committee's closed-door debate on the abortion policy. "But pretty much everybody around the table, we all knew where each other was on the discussion, and so it was not uncivil or argumentative."

Committee staffers said they have no indication that including the report in the NDAA will get Tuberville to back off his hold. Tuberville has previously said a committee vote on the policy is not enough to get him to change course.

That means the number of acting chiefs could grow beyond Smith and the Marines, a potential committee staffers alluded to as they stressed that they have several major confirmation hearings on tap after the recess.

Gen. Charles "C.Q." Brown, the current chief of staff of the Air Force, has been named to take over for Gen. Mark Milley as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leaving the leadership of the Air Force unfilled. Milley's term expires at the end of September.

Gen. James McConville, the Army's top officer, and Adm. Mike Gilday, the Navy's military boss, are also both set to retire soon. Only McConville's replacement has been publicly named.

Tuberville is arguably one of the dumbest members of congress.

[/url]

Quote:Opinion | Tommy Tuberville should resign…but he won’t

Tuberville’s remarks were offensive at every level — worse because they disparaged so many of us he was elected to represent.

Quote:In the Weeds w/ Tommy Tuberville, Alabama’s next senator

[url=https://www.wbrc.com/2020/11/13/weeds-w-tommy-tuberville-alabamas-next-senator/]

[*Nately120*]

This is why Marvin Lewis should be a senator...that dude's loyalty to veterans was insane.

[*michaelsean*]

He was a douche when he was in Cincy. I’m a Buckeye fan but I root for the Bearcats, and he was useless. Took a paycheck and did next to nothing. No surprise here.

[NATI BENGALS]

Just for the record.


This is a Republican. Directly responsible for damaging morale and hurting people at the highest level of our military. And things actually trickle down in the military. I've heard it called "shit rolls down hill".

I can't think of a bigger morale killer than messing with promotions and money. If someone is doing that kind of damage. Can't help but start to wonder if he is on an adversarie's payroll. Or is he just that adamant about imposing his religious beliefs on everyone.

[*pally*]

(06-27-2023, 12:25 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Just for the record.


This is a Republican. Directly responsible for damaging morale and hurting people at the highest level of our military. And things actually trickle down in the military. I've heard it called "shit rolls down hill".  

I can't think of a bigger morale killer than messing with promotions and money. If someone is doing that kind of damage. Can't help but start to wonder if he is on an adversarie's payroll. Or is he just that adamant about imposing his religious beliefs on everyone.

For every promotion or new job being held up at the highest level there are dozens of others being held up at lower ranks because of it.  

[GMDino]

Tuberville's brother made a statement about him.  Ouch.

Tommy’s own brother has called out his racist BS. https://t.co/TpIf6fZAQm pic.twitter.com/3DQ61bvpsb

— Calés McGinnis (@CalesMcGinnis) July 11, 2023

 

[*pally*]

Tuberville is doubling down on his claim that "white nationalists are Americans" thing. He keeps saying that he is against racism but doesn't seem to understand that white nationalists believe they are superior to all other races.

[NATI BENGALS]

The south will rise again? I'm starting to get the feeling he is weakening our military on purpose.

[GMDino]

(07-12-2023, 02:14 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: The south will rise again? I'm starting to get the feeling he is weakening our military on purpose.

I don't know.  It's also possible he's a moron who got elected because of his name only and has no good reason to be in any position of power.

[Luvnit2]

Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

[GMDino]

(07-12-2023, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

All kinds of promotions and raises are being held up.  Families cannot relocate.  They cannot register their children at their new schools. 

Actual lives are affected by Senator Coach Racism...all because he doesn't understand enough to do his job.

[Arturo Bandini]

(07-12-2023, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

Who pulls the strings ? 

[*Nately120*]

(07-12-2023, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

We aren't in a war?  I feel like folks who think Biden is a puppet and fake president also believe we are being lied to about not having a direct USA boots on the ground presence in the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

[NATI BENGALS]

(07-12-2023, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

Turn a blind eye to the GOP shitting in the face of the US military….. cool

You said you own a business right?

If you told all your managers there are no more promotions, no pay raises, until you get to control the bodies of every single one of their female family members and the healthcare choices they make about pregnancy.

How would morale be? Would it be good for your business? Do you think you would lose any talent for not wanting to put up with your ridiculous bullshit?

[HarleyDog]

(07-12-2023, 10:10 AM)Arturo Bandini Wrote: Who pulls the strings ? 

Jeff Dunham

[GMDino]

This could have gone in this thread, the Roe v Wade being overturned thread or even the Student loan thread that turned into a military sign up argument.

But let's put it here because the gop cares more about cultural issues they disagree with than anything else...except maybe power.

Question: Why is the DOD policy on abortion critical to military readiness?

Kirby: I’m really glad you asked that question… pic.twitter.com/E2I9EqUoqS

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 17, 2023

[*Nately120*]

(07-18-2023, 10:38 AM)GMDino Wrote: This could have gone in this thread, the Roe v Wade being overturned thread or even the Student loan thread that turned into a military sign up argument.

But let's put it here because the gop cares more about cultural issues they disagree with than anything else...except maybe power.

Question: Why is the DOD policy on abortion critical to military readiness?

Kirby: I’m really glad you asked that question… pic.twitter.com/E2I9EqUoqS

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 17, 2023

Take that, football guy!

[Dill]

(07-12-2023, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Our country is being run by Biden's inner circle. Biden is just a puppet and others pull the strings. So we really don't have a President leading us. The impact of this position not being filled is net zero, we are not in a war.

I heard that Biden was elected president. Maybe its a conspiracy or something, but I think president gets to run the executive branch of gov. 

He's evidently picked the guys who "pull his strings." So he is pulling the strings of people pulling his strings.

This could relate to Communism. Somehow. 


I don't think your "we're not at war" criterion is the best way to judge military preparedness.

Like "It's ok if 40% of our fighter jets aren't operational, because we are not at war." 

The criterion is especially unclear in this case, when the staffing disruption is wholly unnecessary. 

It's that superminority again, trying to force their standards on the nation. 

[HarleyDog]

Are we talking about abortion leave policies of the military? Or are we talking about leave for government employees?

[*pally*]

(07-18-2023, 04:09 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Are we talking about abortion leave policies of the military? Or are we talking about leave for government employees?

We are talking about both leave time for the military member and the healthcare policy of the military.  Is the military obligated to provide both leave time and travel costs for a member or member's family to obtain healthcare that is unavailable in the state the military ordered them to live in.