We here at TPOL don’t know much about Tommy Tuberville.

But he’s ticked off the DoD and the regime of Uncle Joe by blocking “over 301 military promotions” because DoD is wasting taxpayer money to pay for military members stationed in States which have restricted abortions to travel to States where killing babies in the womb is less restricted.

According to this Bloomberg story (warning: paywall- see note at end of commentary) he is even more evil than that: he has his eyes set on rolling back Wokeness among senior military leaders. How DARE he!

But worse, Uncle Joe’s minions are lying about it and its impact.

First, whatever tradition of “apolitical” senior officials once existed in this country, today that is dead as a doornail. It is precisely the politicization of senior officers (NOT “officials”) that Tuberville is protesting by his refusal to allow promotions. That is one of the reasons that the Senate has a “hold process” – to reduce political and social pressures in the military. The Senate has failed for decades to use that process to ensure that the priority of the uniformed services is preparedness and capability to wage war and not cultural change and being even more tools of political factions than is “normal.”

Secondly, where is the unfairness to families – or even the officers themselves? An O-6 (Colonel; Captain in the Navy) is generally paid almost $11,000 per month (plus allowances), IF they were being jumped two grades to O-8 (Major General or Rear Admiral), they would make a staggering $15,000+ per month. (A recruit gets less than $1,800 per month.) Given military benefits, especially for families, my heart bleeds (not!!) for a family which has to live on just 11K/month. Unfair? Really?

Third, there is no way at all that failing to let flag officers (generals and admirals) have another start, or even letting a bird colonel trade in the eagle for one or two stars has any measurable impact on our national security. Even if those being promoted are completely unconcerned by anything except their prestige and paycheck.

The article includes lengthy and bogus arguments of exactly how officers and units are impacted negatively. Arguments that we here (because of or despite our military service) see as strained and even silly. Yes, an Army division is normally commanded by a two-star, but a one-star “promotable” can do the same job: truly the only difference is the rank tabs and pay – he has the same experience and training and authority as he would otherwise. Now, perhaps if we had reasons to have more respect for Congress – if we had a Congress that lived up to its members’ oaths to defend and protect – maybe it might be different. But we’ve known for decades that Senate confirmation of military ranks and assignments were nothing more than a routine, rubber-stamp ritual. At best, there are political aspects – which brings us back to Senator Tuberville taking a stand on a moral and constitutional issue.

We note that killing babies still in the womb is not an assigned or implied mission – just as killing babies and children outside their mother’s body is absolutely wrong for a military force to do. Whether it is a child of a Confederate soldier on their farm in Georgia in 1865, a Lakota child at Wounded Knee in 1890, a Japanese or German child in an urban home or school in 1945, or an Arab child at a wedding in Mesopotamia in 2004.

Doesn’t mean that Tuberville might not be a scumbag like 90% of Senators and 95% of members of Congress, of course. And it doesn’t mean he might not cave after all. But it is still a little ray of sunshine.

Note: The Bloomberg paywall prevents access. However, TPOL has a subscription to the Rapid City Journal, which has the article, and we are using a clip of the original story at Senator Tuberville Digs In on Blocking 300-Plus US Military Promotions – Bloomberg.