NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland — Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall blasted Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s six-month hold on military promotions, marking some of the strongest rhetoric to date from the service secretary on the Alabama Republican’s blockade.
Kendall called out Tuberville, who opposes the Pentagon providing leave time for abortions, and blamed him for causing hardship for troops during his keynote address at an Air and Space Force Association conference at National Harbor, Maryland.
“My message today for the one senator causing all this disruption and uncertainty is that all these men and women, and their units and their families, are having their readiness and their lives negatively impacted by your unprecedented actions,” Kendall said.
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Tuberville’s move has stopped the Pentagon from putting nearly 300 officers into new positions and duty stations, and has also delayed confirmation of service chiefs for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
“On behalf of all the men and women serving their country honorably today, who cannot speak for themselves, I am asking you to lift the blanket hold you have on over 300 general officers awaiting Senate approval of their well-earned promotions,” Kendall said to applause.
Since late February, Tuberville has used a procedural tactic known as a hold to block confirmations of all general and flag…