National Guard bracing for possible leadership lapse

The National Guard’s leadership changes are causing upheaval within the service component as several top officers have already retired or are set to retire early next month, and the Senate has yet to confirm nominations for their replacements.

President Joe Biden tapped Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven Nordhaus, the North American Aerospace Defense Command commander,  to be the next chief of the National Guard Bureau. His nomination was sent to the Senate on Tuesday, a little over a week before Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the retiring chief of the National Guard Bureau, officially leaves federal service.

The Pentagon will hold a clap out ceremony for Gen. Hokanson on July 31 and his retirement ceremony is set for Aug.1.

The President’s pick for the top position in the Guard was sent to the Senate right before a month-long recess, causing frustration among lawmakers and advocate groups that the White House didn’t pick the chief’s successor sooner to prevent this leadership lapse.

“We’re extremely frustrated. We share Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) frustration on the lead timing of the nomination and we would just urge the Senate to act quickly, if possible, next week,” Retired Maj. Gen. Frank McGinn, NGAUS president, told Federal News Network.

“We’ve written letters urging [the White House] to get the process moving. I don’t know if it’s just turbulence of what’s going on in the White House or the party or what the cause was. But certainly, in our opinion, it’s unacceptable. It is probably one of the main duties that they do is getting these key leaders in a position in a timely manner so they can transition with each other.”

Lt. Gen. Marc Sasseville, who served as the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, retired in May.

Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, the Army Guard chief who has also been serving as acting vice chief, is set to retire early next month. Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, currently the adjutant general of Arkansas, has been tapped to become the Army National Guard director in July.

In addition, Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, who served as the director of the Air Guard, retired in June. The President tapped Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak to become the next Air Guard director in March.

It’s possible the Senate Armed Services Committee holds a confirmation hearing for Nordhaus, Pirak and Stubbs next week before lawmakers go home for a six-week summer recess. Meanwhile, the National Guard Bureau is bracing itself for different outcomes.

The day after Gen. Hokanson’s retirement ceremony, the Guard will hold either a change of responsibility ceremony or a relinquishment of responsibility in case the Senate doesn’t confirm Gen. Nordhaus next week.

It’s also possible that the Senate will only confirm the two three-star nominations for the director of the Army Guard and the director of the Air National Guard next week. If the Senate approves Pirak and Stubbs’ nominations, one of them would become the acting chief. But there are no confirmation hearings scheduled for next week so far, which could leave the National Guard without permanent leadership at least until lawmakers return on Sep. 9.

“The National Guard Bureau is engaged in prudent planning for an acting chief and vice chief of the National Guard Bureau in the event officers are not confirmed for those positions by the time Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the current chief, departs that office,” The National Guard Bureau told Federal News Network in a statement.

The National Guard’s chief serves as the conduit between the 54 states and territories, the Defense Secretary, and the White House, so a potential leadership lapse could create a lot of uncertainty as hurricane and wildfire season ramps up.

“We won’t fail the mission — I can guarantee you that the Guard is strong as an organization. But that certainly is putting us in a situation that’s not optimal. And it’s going to require a lot of people to do additional work, and it’s going to take away from their other normal duties that they would normally be doing,” said McGinn.

And even if the Senate swiftly confirms Gen. Nordhaus next week, there is zero transition time for incoming chief to get used to the job.

“That’s something I think that the outgoing chief would have been able to help him work through because each state is a little different, and I think missing out on opportunities is not in the best interests of us as a Guard or as also the country to be honest,” said McGinn.

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