A historic appointment. The Senate finally approved the nomination of Lisa Franchetti as head of the US Navy by 95 votes to 1 (with 4 abstentions), making her the first woman to lead the most powerful military navy in the world. Nothing, however, destined her for a career in the army. Initially with a degree in journalism, Lisa Franchetti, born in 1964, eventually headed to the navy and graduated from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1985, even though no member of her family had pursued a military career. If upon her arrival in the army women were still relegated to positions on auxiliary ships, the military quickly rose through the ranks, first as a surface officer then by commanding several destroyers.
She then served as Commander of US Naval Forces in South Korea, then Deputy Commander of US Naval Forces in Europe and then Africa. On September 2, 2022, she was named vice chief of naval operations, that is to say the number 2 in command of the US Navy, a position only one woman before her – Michelle Howard, from 2014 to 2016, under the presidency of Barack Obama -, had occupied. Before being designated by Joe Biden as the new chief of staff of the US Navy, last July. She will also be the first woman to serve on the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, which brings together the highest-ranking members of each branch of the American Armed Forces, of which she had already been director of strategy, plans and politics.
Blocking an anti-abortion Republican elected official
Despite a path unanimously recognized by his peers, this appointment took many months before being formalized by the American Congress. At issue: the blocking of a single American senator, the elected Republican Tommy Tuberville. He opposed, alone against all, the appointment of Admiral Franchetti as well as a hundred other promotions and confirmations of American military officials because of the Pentagon’s position on abortion. Indeed, faced with the hardening of several American states on this subject, the American Defense leadership had taken measures to facilitate access to abortion for military women, which this senator from Alabama strongly contests.
This blockage was denounced even in his own camp. The Republican senators, although ensuring that they were also “opposed to the Pentagon’s policy” on abortion, themselves directly opposed their colleague’s obstruction, citing “the significant damage that this causes to our army” . Indeed, in the United States Senate, only one senator out of 100 has the ability to block the rapid approval of a nomination for a federal position. To get around this obstacle, the 99 other elected officials can then organize a series of votes lifting the blockage. But American tradition dictates that top military positions are confirmed by unanimous vote.
Lisa Franchetti, due to her much-needed appointment – the latter exercising her title of interim head of the navy since the departure of her predecessor, Admiral Mike Gilday, last August – was finally able to benefit from this election this Thursday November 2. And finally confirmed… with a ultimately positive vote from Tommy Tuberville, the only senator opposing this nomination being another elected Republican.