In the Marine Corps, chain of command is everything — for better or for worse. In Congress, I’ve never been shy about criticizing our military leaders. But at the end of the day, these officers are patriots, ready to do what they do best: maintain order and readiness, train hard, and be exemplary leaders.
But right now, one man’s selfish political stunt is leaving the Corps without a leader for the first time in 164 years. And it’s not just the Marines being affected — Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, is single-handedly blocking hundreds of high-level military promotions across our armed forces, risking American military readiness and endangering our national security.
Without quality leadership, our service members are left high and dry.
For decades, the Senate has confirmed high-ranking military promotions, as is their duty. Mindful of the high stakes, they’ve done so quickly in a bipartisan manner through unanimous consent — until now, thanks to Tuberville’s stubborn protest that has ground the Senate’s nomination process to a halt.
And worse yet, Tuberville’s stunt is purely political. He’s leaving the Marines leaderless not because he disagrees with who’s being promoted, but because he opposes a Pentagon policy that helps American servicewomen access abortions.
Air Force Gen. Charles “C.Q.” Brown, the president’s nominee as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned this week that the military “will lose talent” if Tuberville’s blockade continues. Less experienced deputies may have to fill leadership roles temporarily, he told lawmakers, and talented junior officers may be more likely to leave.
Without quality leadership, our service members are left high and dry. I would know.
In Iraq, I learned that even the best get killed, and that quality leadership can be the key difference between coming home dead and coming home alive.
Marines are the people you call when things are bad. We worked in the worst parts of Iraq during the worst parts of the war. As a result, I lost some of my best friends.








