The stand-off of confirming military leaders at the highest levels continues to be led by one person – Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), a member of the Senate Arm Forces Committee. The Commanding Generals for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps Commandant go vacant. This continues after discussions between Tuberville and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have yielded no progress.
Tuberville’s unwillingness to allow for the services chiefs and some 300 others to go ahead hinges on one thing. He stands against military members having abortions and the military paying for them. The reason for this is the recent Supreme Court ruling abolishing the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision of 1973 that had stood for nearly 40 years. The initial decision weighed in with women having the Constitutional Right to get an abortion. The military wants to keep a ready force on duty and as a result of the State of Alabama’s most stringent decision on abortion within the state and others as well the military has had to transport female service members out of state to get an abortion.
Coach Tuberville, that’s what he did in his career coaching at several colleges and Auburn, University of Miami, and Texas A&M as well as a broadcaster for ESPN. His bio and stated dedication to the military and its mission is just plain BS! The State of Alabama hosts several major military posts critical to the national defense. These bases and posts include Redstone Arsenal, Maxwell-Gunter, Fort Rucker, Anniston Army Depot, and Ft. McClellan Training Center Alabama National Guard. These military installations play a crucial role in U.S. military readiness and security. Tuberville states that Secretary of Defense Austin is exaggerating the need for these high-level appointments falling back on the fact he has talked to other military personnel, and they state it’s not that critical – was that a Private he talked to? He had been wanting to have the most recent military force, the U.S. Space Command permanently based in the state. In July 2023, President Biden decided to have the command remain in Colorado. The decision did not go well with Tuberville and President Biden’s decision could have been influenced by the selfish politics of the Senator that would affect military readiness. He boasts a wish list for millions in military funding for the state not specifically to help the mission or service members but the State of Alabama. The given insinuation is his proposal for large amounts of military funding to support service members living off-post to have their children attend school on-post!
- It is up to the GOP to decide whether partisan politics which has been the norm since 2008 will be the deciding factor in the national security of this country. Referring back to the school issue most communities want the military in the area. They receive federal funding for their schools which will amount to 2.5 % above the tax contribution of the local taxpayer and some of these funds may be diverted to other non-related educational functions. Monies the community can justify to “make the school learning environment better!” The federal government doesn’t ask many questions and does not follow up on the misuse of the funds. I know this because I started a gifted and talented program in Massachusetts many years ago and while I cannot quote accurate numbers I can say the local citizens were paying $325 in school taxes while the military was paying $835 per student to attend the same school which could not provide enough books for all of the students! Yet, they gave their police and firemen a pay raise, and with the money they put up new streetlights on main street!