Hegseth's Office Blocked 12-Plus Officer Promotions Using Secret Files

3 articles · Updated · Military.com · Nov 9

More than a dozen senior officers had promotions withheld through paper-only files built from internet-search printouts that the officers could not see or answer, according to an MS NOW report citing a senior official and two affected officers.
Those files reportedly flagged Pride events, diversity panels, COVID-19 vaccine-mandate roles, Afghanistan evacuation work and ties to retired Gen. Mark Milley, with instructions delivered by phone rather than in writing.
18 months is the key threshold: officers whose promotions remain stalled that long can fall off promotion lists, potentially damaging their careers, while the Pentagon did not deny the holds and said Hegseth is acting within his authority.
Federal law generally reserves removing names from general and flag promotion lists to the president and requires notice plus a chance to respond when new adverse information is used; a military defense attorney told the outlet the practice is illegal.
Congress was already pressing for answers before Democrats won both chambers last week, and incoming House Armed Services oversight is expected to scrutinize what critics call an ideological purge of senior ranks.