I was elected to represent the people of Alabama in this country.” Tuberville told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” Monday night that when lawmakers are in the minority party in the Senate, “the only power we have is to put a hold on something.”Īsked by Collins whether he knows better than seven former defense secretaries who penned a letter in May arguing the hold was “harming military readiness and risks damaging US national security,” Tuberville said: “They were nominated, they weren’t elected. … The military uniform people that we want left out politics are being dragged into it, and that’s not healthy at all.” The whole department – the military people wearing a uniform, should not be drug into an issue that’s a policy issue, for which we don’t deal with. “We need to leave the military out of the politics of it. “This needs to get resolved,” Berger told CNN. In his last interview as commandant, Berger argued military officers should be left out of the hold, which is being maintained as a protest of Pentagon reproductive health policies announced earlier this year that provide additional support to service members and dependents who must travel out of state to receive an abortion. “We need that house to be occupied,” Berger said in reference to the Commandant’s house. And I look forward to welcoming an outstanding new commandant for our Marine Corps, and to adding many other distinguished senior leaders across the joint force.”īerger agreed just moments later, saying, “We need the Senate to do their job so we can have a sitting Commandant that’s appointed and confirmed.” I am also confident that the United States Senate will meet its responsibilities. “And I remain confident that all Americans can come together to agree on that basic obligation to those who keep us safe. “We have a sacred duty to do right by those who volunteer to wear the cloth of our nation,” Austin said. Speaking at Berger’s relinquishment of command ceremony on Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a point to mention the hold and its impact on “stable and orderly leadership transitions,” and military families. Eric Smith, has not yet been confirmed to take over due to the hold on senior military nominations by Alabama Sen.
David Berger relinquished command on Monday after holding a private retirement ceremony, after more than 40 years of service.
A major branch of the US military does not have a Senate confirmed leader for the first time in more than a century, as a result of a Republican senator refusing to lift his block on military nominations.Ĭommandant of the Marine Corps Gen.
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