WASHINGTON — Vice Adm. William Houston, commander of the US Navy’s submarine force, has been formally nominated for a fourth star and to become “naval reactors,” the senior officer charged with overseeing the development of the service’s nuclear technologies, the Pentagon announced Wednesday night.
Houston’s prospective new billet is formally called “director of the naval nuclear propulsion program,” but is often referred to as “naval reactors” because one of the primary responsibilities of the job is to oversee the core technologies powering the Navy’s nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.
Houston, if confirmed, would also come into the job as the US begins its work in earnest to deliver new nuclear-powered submarines to Australia through the trilateral security pact with the United Kingdom known as “AUKUS.”
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Naval reactors’ importance to the Navy is reflected in its uniquely long tour duration of eight years, twice the time of a tour as a service chief. Adm. Frank Caldwell, who currently holds the position, took over in 2015. Prior to Caldwell, now-retired Adm. John Richardson held the billet for roughly three years before being nominated to become the chief of naval operations.
Complicating Houston’s promotion, however, is an ongoing standoff in the Senate, which must confirm his nomination, between Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Tuberville effectively placed a hold in March on the nominations of every general and flag officer sent to the Hill for nomination, insisting the Pentagon must change its policies regarding assistance provided to servicemembers seeking an abortion.
Austin, backed up by a growing number of Senate democrats, have fired back at Tuberville, accusing him of being “reckless” and unnecessarily harming military families as well as the growing number of officers further down in the chain of command who can’t advance their own careers while Tuberville’s hold persists.
“Not approving the recommendations for promotions actually creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be,” Austin said in March. “The effects are cumulative and it will affect families. It will affect kids going to schools because they won’t be able to change their duty station. It’s a powerful effect and will impact on our readiness.”
It’s not clear what effect the hold could have if Caldwell were to retire before Houston is confirmed, but the prospective new naval reactors boss is not alone in his situation.
The Pentagon has already sent several Navy fleet commander nominations — as well as a litany of nominations from the other services — to the Hill and will necessarily send names for a new chief of naval operations and Marine Corps commandant this year, when the current service chiefs are due to end their tenures.