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Floor Speech
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Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I rise with my colleagues on the floor this evening to discuss the very unfortunate actions of my Senate colleague from Alabama, blocking the advancements and promotions for hundreds of military officers.
I am a Senator from Virginia. Virginia is as connected to the U.S. military mission as any State. One out of every nine Virginians is a veteran. Our Active-Duty community is massive. Our military families, reservists, Guard men and women, DOD civilians, and DOD contractors create a Commonwealth deeply, deeply connected to the American military mission.
The map of Virginia--Yorktown, where the Revolutionary War ended; the battlefields of the Civil War; Appomattox, where the Civil War ended; Bedford, where a core of young people from that tiny mountain community served and died on D-day; the Pentagon, where we were attacked on 9/ 11--our map is a map of American military history. We train all Marine officers at Quantico. We have the largest naval base in the world in Norfolk and the largest military personnel facility in the world at the Pentagon. Virginia is steeped in the Nation's military mission.
I also rise as a member of the Armed Services Committee and as the father of a U.S. marine to urge my colleague from Alabama, as have my other friends on the floor tonight, to stop punishing our troops and their families, to stop punishing our troops and their families.
I want to talk about the policy, I want to talk about the stunt, and I want to talk about the victims.
The policy: Senator Tuberville objects to the fact that the Department of Defense will allow a servicemember to take time off and travel to terminate a pregnancy lawfully. He objects to that policy.
Is that policy an unreasonable policy? No. It has been Federal policy since the Reagan administration that Federal funds could pay for a Peace Corps volunteer to travel to terminate a pregnancy lawfully if the place where that Peace Corps volunteer was serving did not offer reproductive healthcare access. The Reagan administration was a Republican administration. The policy announced with respect to Peace Corps volunteers in the 1980s was written by then-Department of Justice lawyer Ted Olson, who became the Solicitor General under the Bush administration.
So, for now 40 years, it has been Federal policy that if a Peace Corps volunteer chooses to lawfully terminate a pregnancy, the Federal Government will both allow her time off and pay for her travel--in Democratic and Republican administrations.
It is, similarly, Federal policy that a female prisoner committed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons will be allowed to travel to terminate a pregnancy lawfully and that the Federal Government will pay for that travel. So the policy has been now for 40 years that the Federal Government will pay for travel of Peace Corps volunteers and Federal prisoners to lawfully terminate a pregnancy.
Senator Tuberville wants women servicemembers to have fewer rights than Federal prisoners. Senator Tuberville wants women servicemembers to not be accorded the same choice and protection that we have accorded Peace Corps volunteers since the early 1980s during the Reagan administration.
Why--why--would we say to women who volunteer to wear the uniform of this country and risk their lives that you are not entitled to what we have allowed Peace Corps volunteers and Federal prisoners to have for decades?
What is it about pledging to wear the uniform and offer your life and service to the Nation that should disable you from rights that have been afforded to others?
This is the policy that Senator Tuberville wants to reverse. He wants to mandate that our servicewomen receive fewer rights and fewer protections than Federal prisoners or Peace Corps volunteers.
I find that proposal outrageous. I find that proposal deeply inequitable. But I do defend my colleague's right to have that opinion, if that is his opinion. We have 100 people in this body. We have a lot of different opinions about a lot of different things. But there is a right way and a wrong way.
And so now let me move from the policy to the stunt. I am on the Armed Services Committee. I have my chair here. I have been so pleased to serve with him for the 10 years I have been in the Senate. And he knows I have often offered amendments as part of our annual Defense bill where I failed. I have tried to convince my colleagues, for example, in the writing of the Defense bill to terminate outdated war authorizations, and I have been told, no, this is not the right committee for that; that should be in the Foreign Relations Committee. I have asked for a vote anyway, and I lost. I couldn't convince my colleagues that I was right.
We had a significant debate a few years ago about whether we should do across-the-board cuts in the headquarters of the Pentagon, and I was worried about what across-the-board cuts might do to things like military housing. So I tried to convince my colleagues to see things my way and, instead, adopt my position, and I failed. I had the opportunity to persuade them, but I couldn't persuade a majority.
So what do you do when you can't persuade a majority? Do you punish people who had nothing to do with the policy that you disagree with? No. Not a single member of our committee has ever taken this step during the 10 years that I have been on the committee until Senator Tuberville has decided to undertake this stunt.
Senator Tuberville had an opportunity in connection with the Defense bill in the committee to advocate his position--it was actually an amendment drafted by Senator Ernst, and Senator Tuberville was the cosponsor--to reverse the policy I described earlier and to take away rights from servicewomen--rights that are enjoyed by Federal prisoners and Peace Corps volunteers. And they had an opportunity to persuade. And they offered that amendment, and they failed. They couldn't convince a majority of the committee to go along with them. But they had their chance.
And so once they have had their chance and failed to persuade their colleagues, they now turn, and Senator Tuberville--I don't want to assert this is Senator Ernst; Senator Ernst and Senator Tuberville have the same position on the policy, but Senator Ernst disagrees with the blockade--Senator Tuberville is now taking out his disappointment. I couldn't convince my colleagues of the policy, so why don't I now punish hundreds of military officers and their families? It is a stunt.
When you can't convince your colleagues, be more persuasive next time or find a middle ground or have a dialogue and listen; and maybe the next time you will try, you will do it better, and you will be more persuasive. But, no, that is not what the Senator is doing. Instead, he is deciding to punish these officers and their families.
And I will tell you, in some ways, the part of this stunt that makes me the angriest is the part that is happening right now. Right now on the Senate floor, we are debating the Defense bill, because maybe you could say I lost my vote in committee, but it is such an issue of conviction and conscience for me that I want to have the whole Senate vote on it. I could see Senator Tuberville--if it really mattered to him, if this policy was really a matter of conviction and conscience for him, you would think he would say: I know I lost in committee, but maybe I will succeed on the floor of the Senate, and I want that opportunity. I want the public to know we have offered Senator Tuberville the ability to vote on this matter on the floor of the Senate. Let's do it in front of the entire American public. You stand up and you say why the Department of Defense policy is wrong and you put it to a vote and make every one of the 100 Senators vote on it.
We have given him that opportunity. As of right now, 5 after 11, the night before we hope to finish the NDAA, he has not accepted it.
Wait a minute. Does he even care about this issue? If it is a matter of conscience and conviction, wouldn't you want to debate it on the floor of the Senate to show how much you care about it? But as of right now, he has not accepted our offer to allow him to have this vote.
Why hasn't he accepted the offer? He knows he is going to lose and probably lose worse than he lost in the committee because there are many people--both Democrats and Republicans--who are tired of the punishment that he is meting out on these military officers. That is why this is a stunt.
If he had the courage of his convictions, he would be on the floor listening to this right now. If he had the courage of his convictions, he would be asking for a vote. If he had the courage of his convictions, he would be accepting the outcome of the vote. And if unsuccessful, he would stop this foolish blockade.
Last, about the victims: My colleagues have done a very good job of talking about who is being damaged and how. It is these officers, certainly, but it is really their families--the inability to move, to find a new school for your children. We have officers among the list of those being blockaded who, on the assumption of a promotion, because it has been done as a matter of course for decades--sold a home, can't buy a new one because the new orders haven't yet come through and have had to pay out of their personal funds to move their families because the military won't pay to move them, hoping that they might be able to get reimbursed.
We have a Virginia officer who has been blocked a promotion, whose wife is a public-school teacher who had resigned from her job and not accepted the contract for the public school for the next year on the thought that she would be looking for a job in a new jurisdiction for a public school. And now she is out of the past job without the ability to go find a new job. What did they do to deserve this?
My colleagues have pointed out that Senator Tuberville does not object to the qualifications of any of these people. He voted for them in committee. In addition, Senator Tuberville has not asserted that a single one of these people had anything to do with the policy he doesn't like.
I mean, it would be one thing if we were nominating for a promotion the individual who developed the policy that Senator Tuberville didn't like. You might understand him subjecting that individual to some more significant scrutiny and even opposition. But none of these people had anything to do with the travel policy announced by the Department of Defense after the Dobbs decision.
So punishing people who were serving this country, who had nothing to do with the policy that you complain about; punishing them not because of what they did but punishing them because you were not persuasive enough to convince your colleagues to embrace a policy that you advanced. It makes no sense.
We know we are facing a recruiting challenge in the military. We are facing it generally. We also know that in certain specialties, that recruiting challenge is particularly acute. Use pilots for an example. Pilots have a lot of opportunities. A number of the officers who are on this list are Air Force or Aviators in the other service branches, and they have all kinds of options to go to the private sector and get paid a whole lot more than they do, but they choose to work for less because they are patriotic about this country and they believe this country respects them.
What does this say to them? What would you do if you were a rational person and you had an opportunity when your promotion was being blocked for something you had nothing to do with, what would you do if there was another opportunity you could take?
My oldest son, who is Active Duty and now a Marine Reservist, is of an age where an awful lot of people are trying to make this decision about: Do I stay in the military or not? I have had a career. I have been in for 8 years or so. Do I stay and make a full career out of it or not?
We know from recruiting polling that we have been doing that one of the main reasons we have a recruiting and retention problem in the military--this was identified in Army polling--is people's belief--it is interesting. I was actually surprised by this polling. We are not having a recruiting challenge because people are afraid to serve or think they might get injured. We are having a recruiting challenge because people believe that if they serve in the military, they will fall behind their peers who don't serve in the military; that their peers who don't serve might advance in their careers and have opportunities decades from now that would be more than what I have if I went in the military.
So if that is our significant problem right now, what is the message that is sent to people who might want to serve if they know: Wow, one Senator who is unhappy with something the Pentagon does can block my professional advancement even though I had nothing to do with that, even though I have served honorably and deployed and won a Silver Star and Purple Heart and other citations for bravery, even though all that happens--if one Senator--only one, only one--is unhappy with something that the Pentagon has done, they can block my professional advancement, just for that reason. How is that going to help us counter the recruiting and retention problem we have in the U.S. military?
My colleagues have done a good job of listing some of the particular positions that are vacant. They have no confirmed Commandant of the Marine Corps to come up against possibly no confirmed chief of staff on the joint chiefs of staff, to have no confirmed head of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Virginia is a shipbuilding and sub-building State. To have no head of Navy nuclear reactors--we are the premiere producer of nuclear subs in the world. The reactors get built in Virginia--in Lynchburg, generally--and then they get installed on subs and carriers in Newport News. This is what our State does. This nuclear reactor thing is not something to mess around with. It is not a minor thing that just anyone can do. To be the head of Navy nuclear reactors is a really important position.
We just announced through President Biden an initiative with Australia and the United Kingdom to do nuclear sub capacity building together over the course of decades. How good would we be at this commitment we have made if we don't have a head of naval nuclear reactors confirmed in serving this country?
So I join with my colleagues on this floor and ask Senator Tuberville to stop punishing these people.
They served enough. They have done enough. They sweat enough. They bled enough. They moved enough. They sacrificed enough, and they are willing to do even more. Stop punishing them. Stop punishing them.
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Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I would like to continue this wall of honor, this honor roll of these patriotic public servants.
Rear Admiral John Gumbleton to be a vice admiral of the U.S. Navy and Deputy Commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget. He has 34 years of service to the Navy. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Rear Admiral Christopher S. Gray to be a vice admiral of the U.S. Navy and the Commander of Navy Installations Command. He currently serves as Commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic and has 34 years of service. He has served as the Commander of Navy Region Northwest and the Chief of Staff of Navy Installations Command. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal With Combat ``V'' and Strike/ Flight numeral 1.
Rear Admiral James Pitts to be a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities. He currently serves as the Director of the Warfare Integration, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He has 37 years of service. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit with one gold star, Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars. He has 30 different awards, many received multiple times.
Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach for reappointment as a general in the U.S. Air Force and Commander, Air Force Combat Command. He currently serves as the Commander of Pacific Air Forces. He has 38 years of service. General Wilsbach is a command pilot with more than 5,000 hours in multiple aircrafts, Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster, Legion of Merit with two oakleaf clusters, and the Bronze Star Medal.
Maj. Gen. Linda S. Hurry to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force and Deputy Commander, Air Force Materiel Command. She is nominated to be the Deputy Commander of Air Force Materiel Command, which manages installation and mission support, discovery and development, testing and evaluation, and life cycle management services and sustainment for every Air Force weapon system. Air Force Materiel Command employs nearly 86,000 military and civilian airmen, managing a $71.3 billion budget. Major Hurry has served for 32 years. Her awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one oakleaf cluster, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster.
BG Miguel Mendez to be a major general in the Army National Guard of the United States. He served 35 years in the Army, encompassing 20 different duty stations. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oakleaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal with one bronze oakleaf cluster.
COL Marlene Markotan to be brigadier general of the U.S. Army Reserve. She currently serves as the Group Commander at Fort Totten, NY. She served 32 years in the Army, encompassing 20 different duty stations. She was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oakleaf clusters.
Col. David Castaneda to be brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He served 30 years in the Air Force, 21 different duty stations. He served in multiple different leadership capacities at both the headquarters and wing level. He is a command pilot with more than 2,600 hours in the F-16 and F-35, and more than 550 of those hours are in combat. His awards include the Legion of Merit with one oakleaf cluster and the Meritorious Service Medal with three oakleaf clusters.
MG Karl H. Gingrich to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army while also serving as a Deputy Chief of Staff in the U.S. Army. He currently serves as Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation with the U.S. Army. He has 34 years in the Army, 23 different duty assignments, including 2 assignments in support of combat operations. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with four bronze oakleaf clusters, and the Bronze Star Medal.
The following three officers have been nominated to serve as rear admiral in the Navy Reserve:
Rear Admiral Kenneth R. Blackmon currently serves as the Reserve Director for U.S. Fleet Forces Command and previously served as Deputy Commander of the U.S. Third Fleet. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Rear Admiral Marc Lederer currently serves as the Reserve Deputy for Fleet Readiness and Logistics for the CNO. He has 32 years in the Navy encompassing 21 different duty assignments. His awards include the Legion of Merit with one gold star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster, and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
Rear Admiral Robert Nowakowski currently serves as Reserve Vice Commander, U.S. Naval Forces for U.S. Central Command. He has 31 years in the Navy encompassing 21 different duty assignments. He previously served as Deputy Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command. I would love to have him here and ask him how this blockade might affect recruiting into the Navy. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
The President has nominated these six officers in the Navy Reserve to the grade of rear admiral as unrestricted line officers:
CAPT Jeffrey Jurgemeyer. He currently serves as Chief of Navy Reserve, U.S. Naval Surface Force Pacific. He has 30 years in the Navy and Reserve encompassing 18 different duty assignments. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars.
CAPT Richard S. Lofgren currently serves as the Commanding Officer of Navy Reserve Fourth Fleet. He has served 30 years, 20 different duty assignments. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
CAPT Michael Mattis currently serves as the Deputy Commander, Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command in San Diego. He has 29 years in the Navy, 17 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit with two gold stars and the Bronze Star.
CAPT Richard Meyer serves as the Deputy Commander of the Navy Region Southeast Reserve Component in Fort Worth. He has 30 years in the Navy, 20 different duty assignments, and has been awarded the Legion of Merit with one gold star and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
CAPT Bryon T. Smith is currently serving as Commanding Officer of the Navy Reserve Navy Installations Command EOC. He has 28 years in the Navy, 17 different duty assignments. His awards include the Legion of Merit with one gold star and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
CAPT Michael R. Vanpoots is currently serving as the Deputy Commander of Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command. He has 28 years in the Navy, 20 different assignments. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
CAPT John Byington to be a rear admiral. He has served 33 years in the Navy, with 22 different duty assignments. He previously served as the Region Commander for the Naval Information Force Reserve Southeast Region. His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oakleaf clusters and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
CAPT John Robinson to be rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He currently serves as the Commanding Officer of the Navy Reserve Chief of Information Headquarters. He has 26 years in the Navy, 10 different duty stations. He has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Lt. Gen. Gregory Guillot--we had him before our committee today--who is a general in the U.S. Air Force, to serve as the Commander of the U.S. Northern Command, protecting the homeland of the United States and North America, and also to be the Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD. He currently serves as Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command. He has commanded a flying squadron, operations group, two flying wings, and a numbered Air Force. He has served 34 years in the Air Force, with 24 different duty assignments, and has more than 1,380 flying hours. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters, the Legion of Merit with one oakleaf cluster, and the Bronze Star Medal with two oakleaf clusters.
LTG Laura A. Potter to be a lieutenant general in the Army and also to serve as the Director of Army Staff. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff, which is the principal officer responsible to the Chief of Staff of the Army for all Army intelligence matters. She has 33 years in the Army, 20 different duty assignments, including four in support of combat operations. She has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oakleaf cluster, Legion of Merit with one bronze oakleaf cluster, and the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oakleaf cluster.
MG William J. Hartman to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army while serving as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. He currently serves as Commander of Cyber National Mission Force. He was born in Mobile, AL. He graduated from the University of South Alabama ROTC Program. He has 33 years in the Army, encompassing 19 different duty assignments, including 8 assignments in support of combat operations. His awards include the Legion of Merit with one bronze oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with two bronze oakleaf clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal with four bronze oakleaf clusters.
CAPT David Ludwa to be a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He has 28 years in the Navy, 24 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oakleaf cluster and the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars.
CAPT Peter Muschinske to be a rear admiral to the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Navy Chaplain. He currently serves as the Deputy Fleet Chaplain with the Navy Reserve U.S. Pacific Fleet. He served 33 years in the Navy, all as Chaplain. He served in 15 different duty assignments providing chaplain and ministry services to sailors and marines around the world. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars.
CAPT Marc F. Williams to be a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve Civil Engineer Corps. He earned his commission after graduating from the academy in 1998 with a degree in ocean engineering. He has 25 years in the Navy, 17 different duty assignments. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
LTG Andrew M. Rohling to be a lieutenant general while also serving as the Deputy Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee--a very important position because it is a very important time for NATO. He served as a deputy commanding general, U.S. Army, Africa, Europe. He has 34 years in the Army, 27 different duty stations, 7 supporting combat operations. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal for combat service, Legion of Merit with two bronze oakleaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor with one bronze oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with three bronze oakleaf clusters, and he is also a Purple Heart recipient.
MG John B. Richardson IV to serve as Commanding General, First U.S. Army; 32 years of service, 27 different duty assignments, including 6 assignments supporting combat operations. Defense Superior Service Medal for Combat Service, Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oakleaf cluster, Legion of Merit for Combat Service, the Legion of Merit with two bronze oakleaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal for Valor, Bronze Star Medal with two oakleaf clusters, Purple Heart recipient.
I will now rest my voice and yield back to my chairman, Senator Reed.
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Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, VADM Jeffrey W. Hughes, VADM of the U.S. Navy. While serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, he received his commission after graduating from Duke University. He has 35 years in the Navy with 22 different duty assignments and is formerly Commander of Navy Personnel Command. He received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star.
Maj. Gen. Heath A. Collins to be a lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force while serving as Director of the Missile Defense Agency. He is currently serving as the Program Executive for that Agency at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. He was nominated to lead this important Agency that is a critical research and development and acquisition Agency within the Department of Defense. He has spent 30 years in the Air Force with 23 different duty assignments. He was awarded the Legion of Merit with one oakleaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal with one oakleaf cluster.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Kruse to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force while serving as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He has 32 years in the Air Force with 24 different duty assignments and the Defense Superior Service Medal with three oakleaf clusters, the Legion of Merit with two oakleaf clusters, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Maj. Gen. Michael G. Koscheski to be a lieutenant general while serving as the Deputy Commander of the Air Combat Command. He has 31 years in the Air Force with 24 different duty assignments, 2,800 flying hours, including more than 650 combat hours in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two oakleaf clusters, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters.
Lt. Gen. Donna D. Shipton to be a lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force while serving as the Commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. She has 31 years in the Air Force with 19 different duty assignments, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with one oakleaf cluster, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters.
LTG John S. Kolasheski to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army while serving as the Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe- Africa. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he led V Corps efforts in support of Ukraine, deploying a corps element to Poland and subsequently establishing a permanent headquarters forward. He has 34 years of service with 24 different duty assignments. He has the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, five Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Combat Action Badge, Airborne Badge, and Ranger Tab. He served three combat tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. He has been forward-deployed in combat for a total of 46 months--nearly 4 years away from his family.
COL Matthew N. Gebhard to be brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve. He has 30 years in the military with 19 different duty assignments. He has earned the Airborne, Ranger, and Expert Infantryman Badges.
COL Katherine M. Braun to be brigadier general of the U.S. Army Reserve. She is an intelligence officer by training and has 27 years of service. She has the Meritorious Service Medal with two oakleaf clusters.
The following two nominations are for brigadier generals to the grade of major general:
BG Mary V. Krueger is currently the Commanding General of the Medical Readiness Command, East, and the Chief of the U.S. Army Medical Corps. She served in both Iraq and Afghanistan for 19 months and commanded clinics, hospitals, and medical research centers. She has three Legions of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, a Flight Surgeon Badge, and an Expert Field Medical Badge.
BG Anthony L. McQueen is serving currently as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. He deployed to Iraq twice for a total of 20 months. He received the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Expert Field Medical Badge, Airborne Badge, and Air Assault Badge.
GEN Jack J. Stumme to be a brigadier general of the U.S. Army. He is currently Army Chaplain and is serving as the Command Chaplain for the U.S. Army Europe and Africa commands. He has deployed as a chaplain to serve the critical religious and spiritual needs of the military four separate times, including to Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, for a total of 36 months. He has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, six Meritorious Service Medals, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, and the Airborne Badge.
COL James F. Porter to be a brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for the 311th Sustainment Command in Los Angeles, CA. He has deployed three times in support of contingency operations in Cuba and Kuwait for a total of 25 months. He has the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, and the Airborne Badge.
BG Beth Salisbury to be a major general in the U.S. Army. She is a medical corps woman and is a specialist in occupational therapy. She has commanded medical companies, medical commands, and medical brigades. She has deployed four times to Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq in support of contingency operations for a total of 43 months of forward deployment--nearly 4 years away from her family. She has the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, and two Joint Service Commendation Medals.
Maj. Gen. Michael J. Lutton to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force while serving as Deputy Commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command. He previously commanded the Air Force's only group providing initial training for the Nation's space and intercontinental ballistic missile operations. He has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, and four Meritorious Service Medals.
MG Charles D. Costanza to be a lieutenant general while serving as the Commanding General of the V ``Fifth'' Corps. He currently serves as the Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division. He has 32 years in the Marine Corps, encompassing 21 different duty assignments, including 5 in support of combat and contingency operations. He has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and other decorations.
Maj. Gen. James H. Adams III to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Marine Corps. He currently serves as the Deputy Director of Requirements and Capability Development on the J-8, Joint Staff. He has 32 years in the Marine Corps with 23 different duty assignments. His past assignments include Branch Head of Aviation Plans and Policy. From the U.S. Marine Corps, he has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Air Medal.
Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein to be the General and Vice Chief of Space Operations of the U.S. Space Force. He currently serves as the Commander of Space Systems Command. The general has commanded and led at the flight, squadron, division, directorate, Program Executive Officer, and field command levels. He has had 32 years in the Air Force with 19 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Space Force and the Commander of the Space Systems Command. He has had 32 years in the Air Force with 16 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.
The following three officers have been nominated to the grade of major general in the U.S. Space Force:
Brig. Gen. Donald J. Cothern, who is currently serving as the Deputy Commander of the Space Systems Command in California. He has served for 30 years in the Air Force with 16 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Troy L. Endicott is currently serving as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear in the U.S. Air Force. He deployed four times during Operations Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom as a space weapons officer, and he commanded one of the Air Force's first expeditionary space units in Iraq. He has 29 years of service with 18 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Timothy A. Sejba currently serves as the Program Executive Officer for Space Domain Awareness for the Space Systems Command in Los Angeles. He has had 28 years of service with 17 different duty assignments. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Maj. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton to be a lieutenant general of the U.S. Space Force while also serving as Deputy Chief of Space Operations. He has 36 years in the Air Force with 21 different duty assignments, including deployment in combat and contingency operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
VADM Karl O. Thomas to be a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare. He has 37 years of service. He is currently serving as the Commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Marine Corps and Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force. He has 34 years of service with multiple combat tours. He has been a Top Gun instructor. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Derin S. Durham to be a major general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He has 33 years of Active and Reserve service. He flew numerous combat missions supporting operations in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has more than 5,150 flying hours, including 332 combat hours. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit.
Three nominations for appointments to the grade of brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve:
COL Brandi B. Peasley currently serves as the Chief of Staff of the 79th Theater Support Command in Los Alamitos, CA. She has 29 years of service with two combat tours. She has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
COL John D. Rhodes currently serves as the Deputy Commander of the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command, which comprises 84 units and 8,000 soldiers. He started his career as an ROTC officer, graduating from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
COL Earl C. Sparks IV currently serves as Commander for the 77th Quartermaster Group in El Paso, TX. He has 34 years of service.
BG William Green, Jr., to be a major general in the U.S. Army and the Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Army. Chaplain Green serves currently as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains in the Office of the Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Army. He has had 29 years of service and multiple deployments in support of combat or contingency operations. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal.
MG John W. Brennan to be a lieutenant general and Deputy Commander of United States Africa Command. He currently serves as Director of Operations, J-3, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He has had numerous combat deployments and has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal for Combat Service, the Legion of Merit, five Bronze Stars, and two Bronze Stars for Valor. He has earned the Master Parachutist Badge, the Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Scuba Diver Badge, the Special Operations Diver Badge, a Ranger Tab, and a Special Forces Tab.
MG Mark T. Simerly to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency. He has had 39 years of service and multiple combat tours, over 30 months deployed away from his family in those operations. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Maj. Gen. Ryan P. Heritage to be a lieutenant general in the U.S. Marine Corps and Deputy Commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. He has 33 years of service and numerous tours in support of combat and contingency operations. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
VADM Craig A. Clapperton to be a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and the Commander of Fleet Cyber Command. He has 34 years of service. He has been the Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, CYBER, Tenth Fleet, the Commander of the Carrier Strike Group, Twelfth Fleet. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit with two gold stars and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Four officers to the grade of rear admiral in the U.S. Navy:
CAPT Thomas James Dickinson has 28 years of service and has been awarded the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.
CAPT Kevin Ray Smith has 29 years of service and has been awarded the Legion of Merit with one gold star and the Meritorious Service Medal.
CAPT Todd Sinclair Weeks has 30 years of service and has been awarded the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.
CAPT Dianna Wolfson has 27 years of service and has been awarded the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.
The following officers are for appointment to the grade of major general in the U.S. Air Force:
Brig. Gen. Curtis Bass, currently serves as Vice Commander of the U.S. Airforce Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base; 28 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Kenyon Bell, 28 years of service; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Charles D. Bolton, a master navigator with more than 2,800 hours, a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School; 29 years of service; Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Larry Broadwell received his commission in March 1996 from the Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama; 2,600 flying hours, 76 combat hours, 27 years of service; Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Scott Cain, 2,800 hours of flying time, 28 years of service; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Sean Choquette, 30 years of service, multiple deployments to support combat contingency operations; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Roy W. Collins, 28 years of service; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. John R. Edwards, currently serves as the Director of Strategic Capabilities at the NSC at the White House; 28 years of service, 2,500 flight hours, including 237 combat hours; Defense Superior Service Medal and Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Jason Hinds, 27 years of service, commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley in Virginia; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Justin R. Hoffman, 28 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal and Bronze Star.
Brig. Gen. Stacy Jo Huser, 27 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Matteo G. Martemucci, 29 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star; currently serves as the Director of Intelligence at U.S. Cyber Command.
Brig. Gen. David Mineau, 29 years of service; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Paul D. Moga currently serves as the Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; 2,600 flying hours, including more than 250 combat hours; 28 years of service; Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Ty W. Neuman also serves at the White House with the National Security Council; 3,188 flight hours, including 294 combat hours; 28 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Christopher Niemi, rated command pilot with 3,100 flight hours, 30 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Brandon D. Parker, command pilot with more than 2,800 hours in bomber aircraft, 380 of those in combat, 27 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Michael T. Rawls served as Commandant of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, command pilot, accumulated more than 2,100 hours in 30 different aircraft; 31 years of service; Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal.
Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, 31 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. David G. Shoemaker, command pilot with more than 2,000 pilot hours, flown at Operations Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, logging more than 100 combat sorties in an F-16; 29 years of service; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Rebecca J. Sonkiss currently serves as the Commander of the 618th Air Operations Center at Scott Air Force Base; 4,400 hours, including 1,377 combat hours in nine different Air Force manned and remotely piloted aircraft; 29 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star.
Brig. Gen. Claude K. Tudor, Jr., commissioned through the ROTC Program at Troy State University in Alabama, 31 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.
Brig. Gen. Dale R. White, 26 years of service; Legion of Merit.
Maj. Gen. David Hodne to be Lieutenant General in United States and the Deputy Commanding General Futures Concepts at U.S. Army Futures Command; 31 years of service; 11 tours in support of combat and contingency operations; Purple Heart, Defense Superior Service Medal, 4 Legions of Merit, 4 Bronze Star Medals.
Brian R. Moore to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force, currently serves as the Director of Staff at Wright Patterson Air Force Base; 27 years of service; Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three oakleaf clusters.
VADM Daniel Dwyer to be Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for warfighting development; 35 years of service; commanded a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan in 2008; Legion of Merit, Bronze Star.
RDML Darin K. Via to be Surgeon General of the Navy; 32 years of service, commander of Naval Medical Force Atlantic, command surgeon in U.S. Central Command; Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal.
Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus to be lieutenant general in the Air Force and Director of the Air Force Staff; 33 years of service, command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, combat hours earned during Operations Desert Fox and Southern Watch; Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Brig. Gen. Dale White to be lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force and work at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; 26 years of service; Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal.
Finally, Maj. Gen. David Harris to be lieutenant general in the Air Force and Deputy Chief of Staff Air Force Futures Headquarters; 29 years of service; 2,500 flying hours, having flown in support of Operations Deliberate Force, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, and Inherent Resolve; a master navigator and parachutist, receiving his commission following his graduation from the University of Alabama; 29 years of service; Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with valor device, Bronze Star Medal.
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