In a historic moment, Adm. Lisa Franchetti has become the first woman to serve as the Navy's chief of naval operations and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After months of delay, the Senate voted on Thursday to confirm her as the Navy's 33rd chief of naval operations. The confirmation comes after Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville's ongoing blockade of military nominations due to his opposition to Defense Department abortion access policies.

Adm. Franchetti's confirmation signifies a significant milestone in the Navy's history. She not only becomes the first woman to hold the top officer position but also the first woman to serve on the prestigious Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While Adm. Franchetti's confirmation was a noteworthy achievement, there are still several other military nominations awaiting confirmation. Among them are Adm. Samuel Paparo, who has been nominated to lead U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Vice Adm. James Kilby, who is set to receive a fourth star and become vice chief of naval operations, and Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler, who has been nominated to become the next head of U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Franchetti has been serving as the acting chief of naval operations for the past few months while holding the title of vice chief. However, the delay in confirming other nominations has led to a substantial backlog, with the list of blocked nominees growing to 378 as of Friday.

The confirmation vote for Adm. Franchetti came after Senate Democrats threatened rule changes to overcome Sen. Tuberville's ongoing blockade. Wednesday night, Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Dan Sullivan, both military veterans, spent hours attempting to bring up for a vote 61 of the pending nominations stalled by Tuberville, emphasizing the importance of national security.

Sen. Tuberville's hold on military nominations stems from his opposition to the Defense Department's abortion access policy. Tuberville has voiced his concern regarding military members receiving time off and travel stipends for abortion procedures in areas where access is limited or outlawed. However, this protest has faced criticism from Democrats, who accuse him of grandstanding and jeopardizing national security.

As the confirmation of Adm. Franchetti finally brings an end to the delay, the focus now turns to the remaining nominations awaiting approval. The Pentagon estimates that the number of stalled nominations could increase to 650 by the end of the year, highlighting the urgent need for Senate action.

In addition to Adm. Franchetti's confirmation, Gen. David W. Allvin was also confirmed as the next Air Force chief of staff. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney is expected to be voted on as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps as well, following his stalled confirmation. This became even more pressing after Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith was hospitalized earlier this week.

The confirmation of Adm. Franchetti represents a significant step forward in gender equality and progress within the military. With her leadership and expertise, she is expected to bring valuable insights and make substantial contributions to the Navy and the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the first woman to hold these positions.