The wall at the Pentagon featuring the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Three of the positions are vacant due to GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s hold on Senate-confirmed officers. .Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday relinquished command on Monday. His nominated replacement, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, is one of more than 300 military officers whose promotions are being stalled by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, in protest of Pentagon reproductive health policies.
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro echoed Austin’s sentiment, saying it is “well past time” for the Senate to address the outstanding nominations. Franchetti, who has been serving as the vice chief of naval operations, would be the first woman in the CNO seat, and the first woman on the joint chiefs of staff. She has previously served as the commander of US Naval Forces Korea, deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff, and commanded two carrier strike groups.
In a memo to the force earlier this month, Austin said that lower-ranking officers may be assigned to lead organizations in the absence of Senate-confirmed commanders, and that three- and four-star officers would not be able to leave their current roles.