North Alabama Veterans, NAACP hold protest against Senator Tommy Tuberville’s promotions blockade

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - The NAACP has a message for Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville: Stop your protest.

The Pentagon says Sen. Tuberville’s block of hundreds of military promotions is impacting readiness across the world and on a granular level those service members and their families.

“Senator Tuberville, you represent Alabama. You’re supposed to be for the people. But right now, I don’t see that,” said disabled military veteran Kacia Tendricks.

Veterans like her are speaking out about Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s decision to block military promotions nationwide over the military’s current healthcare policy. Part of that policy includes leave and travel expenses for military personnel who cannot obtain an abortion in the state where they are stationed.

Now, over 300 military positions have gone unfilled over this protest.

“I would like to urge the Senator. Stop playing games, you’re no longer on the football field. You’re an elected official and he needs to do his job to represent the people of Alabama,” said veteran Jerry Barnett.

Tuberville did not comment on today’s protest, but over the past few months of repeated questions, he’s made it clear he’s not backing down from this position.

Alabama NAACP president, and former Air Force member, Benard Simelton says without these promotions, one-star generals could be left in a three-star position, potentially leaving the military vulnerable to the nation’s enemies.

“Our adversaries look at that and they know that he does not have the same command and authority as the person that that billing is made for,” he said.

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