The retirement of Commandant Gen. David Berger has for the first time in more than 100 years put the Marine Corps in the position of having no Senate-confirmed leader.
The situation a consequence of Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s seven-month hold on all senior military promotions over Pentagon policy of ensuring abortion access for service members.
Berger was supposed to hand over full leadership of the Corps to Gen. Eric Smith, who has been nominated for the job, but Smith at least for now will run the Corps on a temporary basis while he waits for Senate confirmation.