A Navy admiral with extensive experience in the Indo-Pacific has been recommended to be the service’s next top leader, officials said Monday.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, the current commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, has been recommended by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for the position of chief of naval operations.
Missed Milestone in Top Navy Admiral Position
While President Joe Biden has yet to officially approve the nomination, officials familiar with the matter disclosed this information. The officials chose to remain anonymous as no public announcement has been made.
The choice of Navy Admiral Paparo as the next chief of naval operations is unexpected, as it was widely expected that he would instead assume the leadership of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the current vice chief of naval operations, had been strongly considered a leading candidate for the role.
Although women have served as military service secretaries in political roles, they have not held the highest-ranking uniformed officer position. This presented an opportunity for breaking another longstanding male-dominated tradition. It is expected that President Biden will approve the recommendation, but the nomination process for senior military positions has been stalled due to an objection from a U.S. senator.
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Policy Dispute Causes Delay in Senior Military Promotions
The disagreement centers around Defense Secretary Austin’s decision to have the Defense Department cover the cost of travel for service members who need to seek out-of-state reproductive care, including abortion.
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has brought nearly all significant senior military promotions to a halt due to his opposition to this policy.
Admiral Paparo is a naval aviator and a graduate of TOPGUN, with an extensive record of over 6,000 flight hours in Navy fighter jets and 1,100 aircraft carrier landings. Hailing from Pennsylvania, he completed his education at Villanova University and received his commission in the Navy in 1987.
Prior to his service in the Pacific region, Admiral Paparo held the position of commander of naval forces in the Middle East, based in Bahrain. He has also served as the director of operations at U.S. Central Command in Florida.
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