TO THE SENATE THE POWER TO APPROVE THE PRESIDENT'S NOMINATIONS OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THAT INCLUDES GENERAL AND FLAG OFFICERS AT THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.

BUT THIS YEAR, ONE SENATOR HAS HELD UP ALL THE PROMOTIONS, INCLUDING TO SOME OF THE HIGHEST JOBS IN THE MILITARY.

NICK SCHIFRIN HAS THE STORY.

NICK: NEAR AN ENTRANCE TO THE PENTAGON, PHOTOS OF THE JOINT CHIEFS GRACE THE WALL.

AT LEAST, THE JOINT CHIEFS WHOSE POSITIONS ARE FULL.

THOSE THREE BLACK BOXES, REPRESENT THE OFFICERS SUPPOSED TO LEAD THE ARMY, NAVY, AND MARINES.

NONE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE.

BUT IT IS NOT JUST THREE MILITARY SERVICES.

THE PENTAGON SAYS 301 OFFICERS ARE WAITING TO BE CONFIRMED.

AMONG THEM, THE COMMANDERS OF UNITED STATE SPACE COMMAND, NORTHERN COMMAND, AND CYBER COMMAND.

AND MOST OF THE SENIOR COMMANDERS IN THE PACIFIC WHO DEAL WITH CHINA, THE INDO-PACIFIC COMMANDER, AND COMMANDERS OF THE PACIFIC FLEET, PACIFIC AIR FORCES, PACIFIC SUBMARINE FORCES, AND PACIFIC SPECIAL OPERATIONS.

ALABAMA REPUBLICAN SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE HAS IMPOSED A NOMINATION BLOCK.

HE OPPOSES THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY THAT PAYS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO CROSS FROM STATES THAT DO NOT ALLOW ABORTIONS, TO STATES THAT DO.

>> THIS IS REALLY ABOUT TAXPAYERS HAVING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING TO DO WITH ABORTION.

NATIONAL SECURITY IS NOT A PROBLEM HERE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T CHANGE A POSITION JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS NOT PROMOTED.

SOMEBODY STAYS THERE UNTIL THE PROMOTION IS DONE.

NICK: DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAYS IT DOES THREATEN NATIONAL SECURITY.

>> THIS SWEEPING HOLD IS UNDERMINING AMERICA'S MILITARY READINESS.

IT'S HINDERING OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN OUR VERY BEST OFFICERS.

AND IT'S UPENDING THE LIVES OF FAR TOO MANY AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILIES.

NICK: WHAT IMPACT IS THE HOLD ON NOMINATIONS HAVING ON THE MILITARY AND THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOBS?

FOR THAT WE TURN TO RETIRED ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN WHO WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF DURING THE GEORGE W. BUSH AND OBAMA ADMINISTRATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELCOME BACK.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF A MILITARY COMMANDER IS CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE AS OPPOSED TO THE JOB BEING FILLED BY AN ACTING OFFICER WHO IS NOT CONFIRMED?

ADMIRAL MULLEN: I THINK CONFIRMATION IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR LEGITIMIZING INDIVIDUALS IN THESE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.

I THINK IF I WERE TO PUT THIS IN POSSIBLY SOMETHING THE SENATOR WOULD UNDERSTAND, IT IS IF I WERE A VYING ACTIVE FOOTBALL COACH, NO ONE WOULD KNOW HOW LONG I WAS GOING TO BE THERE.

WOULD SOMEONE REALLY FOLLOW ME?

HOW COULD I RECRUIT?

WITH MY PLAYERS STAY?

IT REALLY IMPACT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME MY ABILITY TO WIN?

AND A LOT OF THAT IS THE SAME THING WITH RESPECT TO OUR LEADERSHIP.

WE DEPEND ON LEADERS IN OUR MILITARY, IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

AND HAVING SOMEBODY WHO IS A PERMANENT LEADER CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR BACKGROUND, AND WHAT WE NEED OUT IN THE FIELD IN THE FLEET RIGHT NOW.

NICK: THE SENATOR AND HIS AIDES ARGUE THIS, THAT THERE ARE NO VACANCIES, THAT EACH JOB IS FILLED, EVEN WITH AN ACTING OFFICER.

AND THAT OFFICER IS HIGHLY EXPERIENCED.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, THE ACTING CHIEF NAVAL OFFICER SAID THE NAVY WAS UNDISTRACTED AND UNABATED, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE IS IN AN ACTING POSITION.

.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

ADMIRAL MULLEN: THAT WOULD BE THE POSITION SHE WOULD TAKE.

AS A LEADER, SHE WOULD WANT TO SAY THAT.

SHE IS ONE OF WHAT IS NOW THREE, AND SOON TO BE FOUR, JOINT CHIEFS WHO WILL BE ACTING WITHOUT CERTAINTY ABOUT WHEN THEY WILL BE CONFIRMED.

WHEN YOU ARE AN ACTING LEADER, QUITE FRANKLY, CAN YOU LAY OUT A NEW STRATEGY?

AND YOU LAY OUT A NEW PLAN?

I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU CAN'T.

HISTORICALLY IN WASHINGTON, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT TERM OF ACTING IS ONE THAT IS OF CONCERN.

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY SURE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE THERE.

AND YOU ARE NOT SURE UNTIL YOU GO THROUGH THIS CONFIRMATION PROCESS WHICH HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

NICK: WHAT IS THE PRACTICAL IMPACT, SAFER SAMPLE, WHAT WE HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER IN THE PACIFIC, WHERE MANY OF THE SENIOR LEADERS ARE NOT CONFIRMED IN TERMS OF PLANNING FOR A POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH CHINA, OR IF THAT CONFLICT WERE TO START?

ADMIRAL MULLEN: I THINK THE SENATOR IS DOING ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL TIMES IN OUR HISTORY.

.

WE ARE AT A REAL INFLECTION POINT WITH RESPECT TO THE PACIFIC AND CHINA AND TAIWAN AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

AND ALSO THE WAR IN EUROPE.

IMPACTING OUR READINESS, IMPACTING OUR LEADERSHIP, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, IS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IRRESPONSIBLE.

AND THE LONGER THIS TAKES, THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE IT WILL IMPACT.

THESE LEADERS WILL NOT BE IN PLACE, AND IN EVERY CASE, THERE WILL NOT BE SOMEONE WHO WILL EASILY STAY.

IN ADDITION TO THE INCREDIBLE DISRUPTION IN FAMILIES, WITH KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL, WITH SPOUSES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN A NEW LOCATION AND GET SETTLED IN A NEW HOME.

IT REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS THE PEOPLE WHO SACRIFICE A LOT, THEY ARE VERY PATRIOTIC, THEY ARE PRIVILEGED TO DO IT, IN WHAT IS A HARD LIFE.

THIS JUST MAKES IT A LOT HARDER.

GEOFF: CAP PERSONAL IMPACT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT AS WELL.

YOU TALKED TO FOLKS IN THE MILITARY ALL THE TIME.

THEY HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP.

BUT WHAT IS THEIR PERCEPTION AT THIS POINT OF THESE HOLDS?

ADMIRAL MULLEN: ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THE SENATOR IS POLITICIZING THE MILITARY AT A TIME WHEN THE MILITARY IS A TRUSTED INSTITUTION.

IT IS DEGRADING THAT TRUSTED INSTITUTION, IN GREAT PART BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS GOING ON IN WASHINGTON.

I THINK THE SENATOR, HE CAN MAKE HIS POINT ABOUT ABORTION AND HAVE THAT DEBATE.

I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

THAT SAID, KEEP US OUT OF IT.

WE NEED TO BE A POLITICAL FIGHTS.

HE IS PUTTING US, WHEN HE SAYS ON THE ONE HAND, IT WOULD BE BAD TO POLITICIZE THE MILITARY, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING.

NICK: AND QUICKLY, IN THE 30 SECONDS I HAVE LEFT, WHAT IS THE MILITARY'S PLAN ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS IF IT CONTINUES?

ADMIRAL MULLEN: WE WILL PLOW THROUGH IT.

NO QUESTION.

WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN.

I JUST THINK IT WILL DIMINISH READINESS.

OFTENTIMESL READINESS GETS REFLECTED IN THE FACE OF A CRISIS OR A REALLY TRAGIC ACCIDENT, AND PEOPLE WONDER, WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, WHAT HAPPENED WHEN READINESS DEGRADES?

IN FACT, WILL ANYBODY AT ANY TIME HOLD SENATOR TUPPER VILLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY BAD OUTCOMES WITH RESPECT TO THE HOLDS HE IS GENERATING?

NICK: FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINTS CHIEF OF STAFF, THINK YOU VERY MUCH.

ADMIRAL MULLEN: THANKS, NICK.

♪