On Tuesday afternoon the Senate in a single motion approved 425 military promotions, including many for Colorado-based military, after Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama ended his months-long blockade of nominations.
Military families now face major moves during the holiday season. Image courtesy of AUSA.org
That a single senator could block hundreds of promotions and threaten the nation’s military readiness has been a source of fury among both parties for months; with Republicans refusing to discipline their own outlier member. The reasoning behind this former wrestling coach turned senator’s refusal to budge for months? His opposition to a Pentagon abortion policy.
Tuberville objected that after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and states began a patchwork approach to women’s healthcare, the military established a family leave policy for women and their families to seek reproductive care outside the state where they were serving. According to Tuberville — “that just didn’t suit — it didn’t suit at all”.
The conservative Republican has blocked hundreds of military promotions, including top national security positions, for the better part of a year, throwing military families into limbo, who couldn’t move their families, get their kids into schools in their new service assignment, spouses who had quit jobs where they lived and couldn’t start new ones.
Just as disruptive as the personal turmoil, has been the potential impact on military readiness. Top commanders have been forced to work two or more jobs, bringing the head of the Marine Corps to the hospital with a heart attack while working nearly 20-hour days.
The timing of this move is unfortunate for military families, forcing them to shift military assignments and move families amid the holiday season.
Tuberville said he would only continue to block 11 or so top-level (four-star general and up) military appointments … how nice of him.
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