The U.S. Navy would have a new chief today, but it won’t thanks to the continued block on officer promotions put in place by a single Republican lawmaker: Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

Adm. Michael Gilday, who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1985, and will depart the Navy after 38 years of service.

“This is a proud day—but I want to take a moment to mark a painful milestone,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday morning at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. “More than 300 nominations for our outstanding general and flag officers are now being held up in the United States Senate. That includes our top uniformed leaders—and our next chief of naval operations.”

“Because of this blanket hold, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, three of our military services are operating without Senate-confirmed leaders,” Austin said. “This is unprecedented. It is unnecessary. And it is unsafe.” (The Army and Marine Corps are the other two.)

“This sweeping hold is undermining America’s military readiness,” said Austin. “It’s hindering our ability to retain our very best officers. And it’s upending the lives of far too many American military families. Our troops deserve better. Our military families deserve better. Our allies and partners deserve better. And our national security deserves better.”

“It’s a horrible precedent to punish service members and hurt readiness because one doesn’t like an administration’s policies,” former Black Hawk pilot and Army officer Brad Bowman wrote on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Introduce a bill. Make an argument. Build consensus. Cast a vote. But don’t use military members for leverage in a political fight. That’s NOT right.”