Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Senate Passage of Some U.S. Military Nominees 

WASHINGTON (Sept. 14, 2023) Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti answers questions from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during her confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., Sept. 14 2023. Franchetti was nominated to become the next Chief of Naval Operations by President Joseph R. Biden. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda R. Gray)

Release from the U.S. Department of Defense 

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NOV. 2, 2023 

I am glad the Senate has today confirmed Adm. Lisa Franchetti as Chief of Naval Operations, Gen. David Allvin as Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Lt. Gen. Chris Mahoney as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. They are outstanding leaders who have faithfully served their country for decades, and I know they will continue to be great leaders of our force as they continue to tackle the crucial national security issues of these challenging times.  
  
But we still have more than 370 superbly qualified leaders who have seen their nominations unnecessarily stalled. As we face a variety of urgent challenges, the most powerful fighting force in history must be at full-strength. This unprecedented delay in confirming our military’s top leaders has hurt our military’s readiness and unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve. While today’s vote is a step forward, we continue to urge the Senate to take swift action on the remaining nominations so that these American heroes can lead our team in keeping our country safe. 

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