Baltic Sea - August 2022: Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) takes part in a maneuvering exercise during a scheduled deployment in the Naval Forces Europe area of operations. (Navy photo by MCS 2nd Class Aaron Lau).
By: FEDweek StaffThe Navy is moving forward with temporary appointment of senior officers in the face of a standoff in Congress over DoD abortion policy that is blocking nominations and promotions throughout the military.
The U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) Press identified three such positions. Rear Adm. Fred Kacher will replace retiring Vice Adm. Sean Buck as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy on Sept. 1. Rear Adm. Tom Anderson will take the helm as temporary commander of U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) sometime early next month. And with Naval Air Forces (NAVAIR) commander Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell’s impending retirement on Sept. 7, Rear Adm. George Wikoff will temporarily take over the command.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti assumed the job as acting chief of Naval Operations several weeks ago.
The USNI report identified other commands held by temporary leaders. Rear Adm. John Menoni now serves as the acting head of Navy installations, Civilians are temporarily holding leadership positions at the office of naval intelligence, integration of capabilities and resources, and warfighting requirements and capabilities offices. The flag rank officers who had held those jobs have all retired.
According to data the Defense Department provided to USNI, 86 Navy flag-rank positions have been on hold February, when Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., imposed it department-wide in protest of a policy that would allow reimbursement to service members who travel out of state for abortions. The report stated that 301 such nominations among each of the armed services are on hold as a result.
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