WASHINGTON: The US Army’s chief of staff stepped down on Friday, leaving a second military branch without a confirmed leader as a lawmaker stalls the approval of Pentagon nominations to protest efforts to aid abortion access for troops.

More than 300 nominations — including the generals selected as the next heads of the Army and the Marine Corps — are awaiting confirmation by the US Senate, and the number continues to grow.

The Senate can still vote on nominees individually, but the “hold” by Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, means they cannot be quickly approved in groups by unanimous consent.

“Unfortunately, today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defence, two of our services will be operating without Senate-confirmed leadership,” Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a ceremony marking the end of General James McConville’s tenure as chief of staff.

“The failure to confirm our superbly qualified senior uniformed leaders undermines our military readiness. It undermines our retention of some of our very best officers. And it is upending the lives of far too many of their spouses, children, and loved ones,” he said.

The Pentagon has emphasised that the delay in approving the nominations is negatively impacting military families, as they are unable to plan for things such as school for their children given the uncertainty about where they will be living.

Lives, careers ‘in limbo’

General Randy George — the current vice chief of staff of the Army — has been nominated to replace McConville as the head of the service and will perform those duties in an acting capacity in addition to his current job.

Published in Dawn, Aug 5th, 2023