Page 1 GAO-25-107679 Military Generals and Admirals
Generals and admirals, known as general and flag officers (GFO), are the senior
military leaders within the Department of Defense (DOD) who plan and
implement U.S. military operations, among other things. For example, GFOs
include the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Senate, in its capacity to
give advice and consent to the President on appointing officers of the United
States, routinely considers and votes whether to approve nominations for
positions including GFOs. When a Senator objects to a category of nominations,
such as all GFOs, this is known as a “blanket hold.”
On two occasions in 2020 and 2023, all nominations for GFOs were on a blanket
hold from Senate confirmation. While the 2020 blanket hold was in effect for
about 2 weeks, the 2023 hold lasted approximately 10 months. Senior leaders
within DOD, including the Secretary of Defense at the time and a group of former
Secretaries of Defense who served in bipartisan administrations, expressed
concerns that the nomination hold in 2023 posed a risk to national security and
the well-being of military families, among other things.
You asked us to review issues surrounding past holds on GFO nominations. This
report describes effects on military readiness, leadership continuity, nominated
officers, and military families as a result of past Senate blanket holds on GFO
nominations, as well as steps DOD took to mitigate the effects of the holds.
• The 2023 Senate blanket hold on GFO nominations lasted for approximately
10 months and affected 447 individual GFO nominees.
• During the 2023 hold, DOD senior leaders expressed concerns about risks to
national security. The 2023 hold on GFO nominations affected DOD’s
leadership continuity across the department. Our review of readiness
documentation and data did not identify challenges for unit-level readiness.
• The 2023 hold disrupted the military promotion cycle for some officers, which
affected nominated officers’ eligibility for promotions and pay. Effects on
military families varied based on individual circumstances. DOD officials cited
military families’ inability to move to planned duty stations, enroll children at
their next schools on time, and seek new spousal employment opportunities
as financial and personal challenges stemming from the hold.
• DOD mitigated potential operational effects of the 2023 hold by proceeding
with planned assignments for some officers, deferring retirements, and
having senior civilian executives and officers serve in acting capacities to
ensure continuity of operations.
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Military Generals and Admirals: Information on
the Effects of
Senate Nomination Blanket
-25-107679
Report to Congressional Requesters
