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Opinion – At What Point Does a Pattern Stop Being a Coincidence?
BLUF – Jessica Ruttenber argues that the recent removal of women and minority officers from senior military promotion lists is part of a broader pattern of personnel and policy decisions that disproportionately affect underrepresented groups, making it increasingly difficult to view each action as an isolated event. She highlights examples including promotion-board interventions, changes to policies affecting women in aviation, and the rollback of diversity-related initiatives, contending that the cumulative effect raises concerns about fairness, representation, and trust in military personnel systems. The article is an opinion piece that frames these developments as a systemic trend rather than a series of unrelated decisions and calls for greater scrutiny of how such decisions may shape the future military leadership pipeline.
https://jessicaruttenber.substack.com/p/at-what-point-does-a-pattern-stop
New York Times – Hegseth Strikes Female and Black Navy Officers From Promotion List
BLUF – The article reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth personally removed several Navy officers from a promotion list for one-star admiral after they had already been selected by a board of senior Navy leaders, an intervention described by current and former officials as highly unusual. The officers removed reportedly included women and Black officers, resulting in a final list of 22 nominees that was all male and overwhelmingly white; Pentagon officials denied that race or gender played a role and said promotions were based on merit. The move has intensified concerns about political involvement in military promotion decisions and follows other recent personnel actions by Hegseth that critics say have disproportionately affected women and minority officers.
CAPT Sean Barbabella, MC, USN, Nominated for Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
Here’s a link to the Senate nomination:
RADM Via Nominated for VADM and DHA Director Position
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced today that the president has made the following nominations:
Navy Rear Adm. Darin K. Via for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as director for Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia. Via is currently serving as surgeon general of the Navy, N093/Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Falls Church, Virginia.
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 