Biden’s Air Force nominee claims Tuberville’s hold is hindering recruitment as branch misses targets.
President Biden’s Pick for Air Force Chief of Staff Blames Sen. Tuberville for Recruitment Shortcomings
Gen. David W. Allvin, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force and President Biden’s nominee for the service’s top position, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. During the hearing, Allvin addressed the impact of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions and nominations, which has caused delays in the confirmation process for over 300 service members.
“I will tell you that while we don’t have specific hard data, my experience and my personal judgment says that this does hurt recruiting and retention. We hear anecdotal evidence,” Allvin told lawmakers. “We’re going to go out and do the mission, and those who are serving in the positions, whether they’re acting or they’ve deferred their retirement, they’re going to continue to serve with honor. And so with that, I could not be more proud.”
Secretary Frank Kendall recently acknowledged that the Department of Defense will fall short of its active-duty recruiting goals this year, a situation that hasn’t occurred since 1999. Allvin expressed concern about the signal this sends and emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong and talented Air Force.
Sen. Tuberville has been holding up DOD nominations and promotions since February in protest of the department’s policy on abortion. This has led to a backlog of 318 nominees, causing disruptions and delays in the military’s leadership structure.
Despite Tuberville’s demands, defense leaders have made it clear that the department will not change its policy. They are committed to ensuring equal rights and access to reproductive healthcare for all service members, regardless of their location.
The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps are currently being led by officials in acting capacities due to Tuberville’s hold. Senate Democrats have the option to bypass the hold, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not taken action thus far.
President Biden has chosen Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the current Air Force chief of staff, to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. However, it remains uncertain whether Brown will be confirmed before the retirement of the current chairman, Gen. Mark Milley.
If Gen. Milley retires before Gen. Brown’s confirmation, Adm. Christopher W. Grady, the vice chairman of the Joint Staff, will assume the role temporarily.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has expressed concern about the lack of Senate-confirmed leaders in three service branches, and the Air Force could become the fourth if Allvin’s confirmation is delayed.
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