US Marine Corps commandant Gen. Eric Smith has been hospitalized following a medical emergency on Sunday evening, according to a statement from the service.
There is no additional information about his condition or how long he is expected to remain in hospital at this time.
Because of the ongoing hold on military promotions from Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, there is no confirmed assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.
Instead, Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the deputy commandant for combat development and integration, is currently serving as the acting commandant of the Marine Corps as a 3-star general.
Smith was confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role in September after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer moved to have three key military promotions – the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Marine Corps commandant and the Army chief of staff – voted on separately rather than as part of a bloc due to Tuberville’s holds.
The ongoing holds now affect a total of 378 nominations, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, including the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.
