How the US military became collateral damage in the fight over abortion rights
The nominations of nearly 650 general and flag officers could be in limbo over abortion access.
BY JEFF SCHOGOL | PUBLISHED AUG 14, 2023 4:21 PM EDT
This row of pictures in the Pentagon’s E-Ring shows that the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps do not have confirmed service chiefs because Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is blocking promotions in protest of a Defense Department policy that pays travel costs for service women and military dependents to go out of state for abortions. (Jeff Schogol/Task & Purpose).
On Monday the Navy became the third military branch led by an acting service chief due to an ongoing protest by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who is blocking the Senate from confirming the promotions of more than 300 general and flag officers.
Tuberville is using the Senate’s procedures to prevent lawmakers from voting on military promotions en masse to force the Defense Department to end its policy of covering the travel expenses of service members who need to go out of state for abortion care.
As a result, Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti will remain vice chief of naval operations while performing the duties of chief of naval operations, a service spokesperson told Task & Purpose.
Sen. Tuberville’s hold on promotions also means Marine Gen. Eric Smith must simultaneously serve as the Corps’ acting commandant and assistant commandant, said Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Joshua Larson.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-military-abortion-rights-tommy-tuberville/
