A high-ranking general in the Marine Corps collapsed on Sunday due to excessive workload, as reported by The New York Times. The general, identified as Eric Smith, was out for a run in Washington, DC when he suffered a cardiac arrest and fell, according to unnamed defense officials cited by the Times. Smith was promptly hospitalized, but no further details were provided by the Marine Corps regarding his condition.
Witnesses at the scene described seeing a man running before stumbling and falling face-first on the sidewalk. The individual was administered CPR by rescue workers before being transported to a nearby hospital, as stated by Noah Gray, a senior spokesman for the DC fire department.
Since assuming his role on September 21, Smith has been the sole senior military nominee approved by the Senate. In fact, only three generals have been confirmed for new positions since mid-February, as reported by the Times. This situation has arisen due to a prolonged blockade on military appointments by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, as detailed by The Washington Post. Tuberville has been preventing votes on more than 360 military promotions since February in protest against the Pentagon’s abortion policy, according to The Hill.
The abortion policy, which was implemented following the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year, provides three weeks of administrative leave for service members and their dependents who need to travel out of state for an abortion, as reported by CNN.
Tuberville’s obstruction has had significant consequences, with three out of the eight Joint Staff positions now being filled by interim officers for the first time in US history, according to Politico.
Prior to his confirmation vote, Smith shared his daily work routine, revealing that it often starts at 5 a.m. and extends until 11:30 p.m., as noted by the Marine Corps Times newspaper. Smith expressed concerns about the sustainability of such demanding schedules.
Tuberville’s hold on nominations is impacting crucial military positions in the US command responsible for the Middle East, Politico reported. Despite recent terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel, resulting in the death of over 1,400 Israelis and injuring more than 5,400, Tuberville remains steadfast in his blockade, according to a CNN spokesperson.
To overcome Tuberville’s obstruction, Democratic lawmakers are considering a strategy that would require the cooperation of nine or more Republicans to confirm a large number of military nominees simultaneously, as outlined by The Washington Post. Alternatively, Democrats may opt for individual votes on military nominees, a departure from the customary practice of approving them in groups.
It is worth noting that the original article can be found on Business Insider.
