In February 2023, Tommy Tuberville decided to stage a protest against the Pentagon’s abortion policy. During this time, when the American Armed Forces were already struggling with recruitment and retention, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville prevented more than 400 military promotions from being confirmed. Finally, in December 2023, Sen. Tommy Tuberville decided to abandon his failed protest allowing promotions to take place…well, at least most of them. There is still work to be done.Related read: What Happens if the National Guard GI Bill Expansion Passes (or Fails)?

Tuberville Ends Protest, Opens Up 425 Military Promotions

After holding the military promotion system hostage for most of 2023, Tommy Tuberville finally moves on. The blockade in response to the Pentagon’s abortion policy is over. Now, many promotions can advance.In total, Tuberville abandoning his protest allowed around 425 promotions to go through. While this isn’t all of them, it’s a majority, providing a path forward for those nominees who were three stars and under. Many on both sides of the political aisle had condemned the 10-month protest and are relieved that it’s finally over.“In the end, this was all pointless. Senator Tuberville, and the Republicans who stood with him, needlessly hurt hundreds of servicemembers and military families and threatened our national security…all to push a partisan agenda. I hope no one forgets what he did,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.There was a rapid vote once the Tommy Tuberville news of moving on broke. Of the 451 affected military members, most can now advance their careers. An issue that many experts believed threatened national security during 2023.

How Did Tommy Tuberville Hold Up Nominations?

Senate holds are applicable when a decision requires unanimous consent. This includes military nominations for promotions. While not blocking a nomination entirely, they compel the Majority Leader to follow slower formal processes. This is how Tuberville was able to hold for so long.Initially private, holds became public due to misuse. Unofficial holds include, choke, blanket, informational, Mae West, and retaliatory. The Majority Leader may bring matters with holds to the floor but holds can cause gridlock if ignored.A nomination can proceed with a hold via procedural routes. The initiating Senator can end the hold independently or through negotiation. Legislation could bypass holds, but passage is uncommon.Tuberville held the position that those fighting to defend our country won’t be affected, but he’s wrong. Those who were held up worked hard for their promotions. Morale is real, and not receiving a promotion you’ve earned is a slap in the face.The lack of leadership from Tommy Tuberville is alarming. Any successful organization needs good leaders and structure. The military thrives on systems.Besides disrespecting the sacrifice of higher-ranked officials, the implication of Tuberville’s opinion was that lower-ranking military personnel wouldn’t be affected. Again, a short-sighted opinion. Leadership is important for mission success. A lack thereof puts our nation’s heroes at risk for no reason.Finally, the political discourse was an easy way to appear weak to our rivals and enemies. The U.S. projects its best face when it’s working together, hence the whole “united” states.While perplexing, one man held up much of the crucial U.S. military infrastructure. It’s positive that at least most of this is now behind our nation. Tommy Tuberville can have his convictions and stick to them, but these actions against the military community may have prolonged consequences, especially during a recruiting crisis.

Did Tommy Tuberville Serve In the Military?

No, Senator Tuberville didn’t serve. If you look up Tommy Tuberville military service, you’ll find nothing. In all fairness, he did have some success coaching college football. While not exactly the same, he may believe, like Tom Brady, that there’s some crossover between the two.Tommy Tuberville lacks military experience, which could explain the difficulty he is having understanding the problems his protest is causing. As it stands, Tuberville’s protest against abortion policies set forth by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is holding up hundreds of military careers.

What Committees Is Tuberville On?

Coach Tommy Tuberville serves on a variety of Senate committees, including the following:

• Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
• Armed Services Committee
• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Frankly, the list of committees Tuberville serves on is quite impressive. They affect the military community in many ways and the American people as a whole. This only adds to the perplexing stance Tuberville took to disregard the leadership in our military.

When Is Tommy Tuberville Up For Re-Election?

For Tommy Tuberville, elections will occur in 2026 as his term is set to end after the conclusion of the 119th Congress on January 3, 2027. Voters will need to make their voices heard. They will have the opportunity to impact whether or not Tuberville’s protest will have consequences at the ballot box.Such actions are somewhat out of the hands of those serving in the military though, and now, leadership continues to hit roadblocks. While Tommy Tuberville’s net worth may be around $20 million, those whose careers and families he’s putting at risk are certainly not so well off.Suggested read: Remembering Sandra Day O’Connor: Groundbreaking Justice & Milspouse