The US chief of naval operations stepped down Monday, leaving an unprecedented three branches of the country's military without confirmed leaders due to a standoff with a single senator over Pentagon abortion policy."Because of this blanket hold, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, three of our military services are operating without Senate-confirmed leaders," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a ceremony marking Admiral Mike Gilday's departure
The vacancies are due to Sen. Tommy Tuberville's continuing blockade of more than 300 military officers' promotions over his opposition to Pentagon abortion policy.