The criticisms of Senator Tommy Tuberville’s holds on Department of Defense promotions are nothing more than theater to help Left-wing politicians score political points and distract the public from the Biden administration’s dangerous politicization of America’s armed forces.
In reality, Senator Tuberville’s decision to hold certain military promotions is courageous work to showcase the deeper problems – created by the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress – that leave our national security vulnerable and our armed forces weak.
All around the world, U.S. adversaries like China are strengthening their economies, enhancing their military capabilities, and testing the limits with increasingly bold acts of aggression. But now, rather than meeting and deterring these increasing international threats with strength, the Biden administration is focused on a different priority. Under the direction of President Biden as Commander-in-Chief and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the military is now being used as a tool to further a Left-wing political agenda here at home.
Senator Tuberville’s decision to hold certain military promotions highlights this problem through addressing Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent memo authorizing DOD resources for paid time off and travel for service members or their family to attain elective abortions. This memo circumvents Congress and blatantly ignores the Hyde amendment and other federal statute prohibitions on the use of federal dollars to fund abortions. A significant overreach, it is contrary to the wishes of the majority of Americans, drags the military into a political fight, and violates the separation of powers. All while distracting the armed forces from its core mission.
Senator Tuberville’s argument is simple: Congress must exercise its authority to properly provide for the common defense and force the Department of Defense to return to its core mission. Yet, there has been no shortage of criticism leveled at Senator Tuberville for his efforts to do what is right.
Much has been made of the impacts of these holds on readiness, their unprecedented nature, and the resulting financial cost to service members whose promotions are on hold. None of this is accurate. In truth, Senator Tuberville’s hold on unanimous consent nominations is a common step that many of his critics have themselves used, such as when Senator Duckworth threatened to block 1,100 military promotions to assist whistleblower Alexander Vindman. Similarly, the senior service members whose promotions are on hold earn at minimum $244,567 annually. As for readiness, contrary to the suggestion of critics, daily military operations continue as normal.
For the real problems with our military readiness and preparedness, however, look no further than the politicization of our military by the Biden administration, Left-wing activists, and Democrats in Congress.
With the Navy assigning Critical Race Theory (CRT) readings and appointing drag queens as recruiting ambassadors, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defending West Point instruction on “whiteness,” is it any wonder that the military is tens of thousands short on their recruiting goals? This is also not to mention that it has only been two years since the military, under this woke Left-wing agenda, has been forced to abandon Afghanistan to the Taliban and instead expend 4 million manhours on “anti-extremism” training.
Secretary Austin’s memo attempting to use the military to play politics over abortion is just the latest in this alarming trend of steps to implement a (costly) woke agenda at the expense of safety, preparedness, and sound strategy. Resultantly, for the first time ever, the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Military Strength recently rated the services as “weak.”
It was this ascendancy of woke values across the uniformed services that motivated my own retirement from the United States Marine Corps in 2022 and perhaps explains why Americans’ confidence in the U.S. military is the lowest it has been in over two decades. It is also why it is absolutely crucial that Senator Tuberville continues his hold on DOD nominations.
Senator Tuberville’s actions highlight more than just the Secretary of Defense’s pro-abortion policy memo that circumvents Congress – the holds address this broader problem of the politicization of the military and fight back against the blatant political acts that are actually eroding the military’s effectiveness. The holds on nominations are sending a clear message that rather than focusing on pet political projects, senior leadership in the Pentagon should be attending to the business of defending the nation and preparing for future conflict.
When Congress returns from recess in September it will take up the National Defense Authorization Act. Members should use that opportunity to support Senator Tuberville’s efforts. By reasserting their Article I powers and insisting that the NDAA explicitly block the use of federal dollars for elective abortions, Congress can restore the separation of powers, remove politics from the traditionally bi-partisan NDAA process, and send a clear message that the business of national defense is too serious to be risked in social engineering experiments.
I hope the Congress has the courage to hold the line and support Senator Tuberville - the safety of our nation depends on it.
Matt Crouch is a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and the State Director in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois for Heritage Action for America, a conservative grassroots organization.