By MOAA Staff

The Senate confirmed more than 400 officer promotions Dec. 6 and confirmed 11 additional senior nominees Dec. 19, ending nearly 10 months of delay and addressing what was a mounting threat to our national security.

MOAA congratulates these officers on their new roles, and thanks the many lawmakers, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens who worked along with the association to end this harmful hold and put our most talented military leaders in key jobs directly impacting combat readiness.

“I’ve been working to lift the holds on our military officers for months and, several weeks ago, I promised our military members and their families that we have their backs. I made a commitment then to the men and women of our military and I keep my commitments,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). “At this very dangerous time in our nation’s history, our country once again has our best and most combat-capable military officers on the field. I want to offer my sincere gratitude to the Military Officers Association of America and all the other patriotic Americans who spoke out to lift the holds on these military officers. Thanks to the support of MOAA and other military and veteran advocacy groups, these military officers and their families are no longer in limbo.”

MOAA’s work on the issue included in-person meetings with individuals from both parties and a Nov. 7 letter to every senator stressing the importance of ending the hold and the damage it created on multiple fronts. MOAA’s position was to support military members and their families, and not have them negatively impacted while the Senate and the administration rightfully debate policy issues.

Interfering with the confirmation process “is denying our military the leadership it needs to accomplish its demanding mission,” MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), wrote in the letter. “And as recent events highlight, the stakes could not be higher and the need for leadership could not be greater.”

Kelly praised Sullivan and other lawmakers for their work in ending the hold and asked for continued support from legislators on other defense and veterans matters.

“Many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle showed their support for the uniformed services community by speaking out forcefully on these disappointing holds,” Kelly said. “We need them to continue their support of the all-volunteer force by addressing so many other issues at the heart of service – improvements to compensation and living conditions for those who serve and their families, access to high quality medical care, and preservation of service-earned benefits for all generations of veterans and retirees. MOAA looks forward to supporting this work on behalf of not just our more than 360,000 members, but all of those who’ve worn the uniform, their families, and their survivors.”