I imagine if StupidMoniker's boss was to give him a promotion but it was deliberately delayed by an outside influence for a separate cause that has nothing to do with his promotion, he'd be good with it because his law firm would function just fine without him being promoted. I get the feeling in reality, he'd be upset if his monthly or biweekly paystub was delayed by even a day, he'd be calling local HR to see what the deal is. "Sorry sir, some dipshit from another state is delaying your promotion where you'd earn an extra 2k a month plus other benefits. You understand right?. Get back to work."
The bold statement above is not what readiness means. The DoD is not a political organization. When they say something, it's important to listen to them. I would trust their words over your opinion, especially considering that your bold statement demonstrates a clear misunderstanding of what readiness entails.
Delaying well-deserved promotions will cause existing military to reconsider whether its worth staying and will deter those considering the military as a career to rethink that decision.
The readiness argument is a bit silly. The DoD is 99.99999% correct in stating that holding up hundreds of promotions impacts its readiness. Promotions within the military are a critical aspect of personnel management and career progression. When promotions are delayed or blocked, it can disrupt the flow of personnel into key positions, affecting the overall effectiveness and readiness of the military force. It may result in gaps or imbalances in leadership, expertise, and experience at various levels, potentially impacting operational capabilities, decision-making processes, and overall morale. Prompt and well-deserved promotions contribute to maintaining a high level of readiness by ensuring that qualified individuals are placed in positions where they can best contribute to the mission and effectively lead and support their units.
I guess I think the critical question is which body is the appropriate one to make the decision about what the policy of the Armed Forces should be regarding this HR issue. Should the DOD decide, or should Congress pass a law to dictate how the DOD treats this issue? Congress, of course, can pass a law to dictate to DOD if they have the votes (and can avoid a veto), but it doesn't look like they do. So, if they can't pass a law, shouldn't it be left the agency to decide?
Latest Military Sexual Assault Report Shows ‘Tragic’ Rise in Cases, Pentagon Officials Say By: Heather Mongilio September 1, 2022 8:19 PM
Yes, I would be personally mad that my promotion (and pay increase) was delayed. I wouldn't pretend that crime was going unpunished because of the delay though. I would still be able to prosecute people, nothing in terms of the administration of justice would change, I would just not be getting the increased salary. That is the whole point. It isn't military readiness that is suffering, it is the personal paychecks of those whose promotions are on hold. That is what readiness means (operational readiness: the ability of a unit, system, vehicle, weapon, etc. to currently perform the mission or function for which it was designed). Could there potentially be some knock-on effect where someone decides to retire instead of waiting out their promotion confirmation? Sure. Would that affect operational readiness? Not really, they would just have someone else fill that position. There are more than 1.3 million people in the United States military. You are living in a fantasy land if you think holding up 500 promotions would have an appreciable result on operational readiness. Congress already passed a law that says the government is not allowed to pay for abortions. The DOD is trying to skirt that law. If Senator Tuberville thinks they should pass a law reversing the Pentagon's policy, that is well within his power as a legislator. If they can't pass a law, it will be (and has been) left to the agency to decide (unless the policy is challenged in the courts, then it would be decided there). Senator Tuberville is still working on the part where Congress passes a law, which is the whole point of the hold.
Military is used to getting **** on by politicians, but those guys won't forget Tuberville's bullshit when it comes time to vote. I guarantee that vets in Alabama will know about it.
Somehow, I doubt the Alabama military community will show up big for the Democrats, especially since the number of promotions being delayed is so small. It doesn't at all affect enlisted or even most officer levels. O-7 is rear admirals and brigadier generals.
Concur. Many of those I served with could have Donald Trump **** in their mouth and they'd still vote for him.
This isn't necessarily true. The Senate only has so much time on the calendar. Confirming with votes would take away something else that might be equally or more important to the country. So the Senate can both believe it affects military readiness and not confirm people with votes.
Today was the first vote in the Senate since June 22. U.S. Senate: Roll Call Votes 118th Congress - 1st Session (2023) It was on a cloture motion to appoint a Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. I think they could have taken the time to confirm the promotions with votes if was critically important.
