1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

It is highly concerning that a civilian political appointee with no military experience would summarily dismiss respected, long-serving military leaders like Admiral Lisa Franchetti. Her four decades of naval service, including commands at sea, prepared her well for the top uniformed position. Similarly, the other officers terminated have devoted their careers to defending our nation. Removing such experienced professionals from leadership roles threatens to undermine military readiness and expertise. We call on civilian authorities to respect the military chain of command and heed the guidance of proven, nonpartisan officers dedicated to our national defense. Putting political agendas over military judgement risks eroding the strength and integrity of our armed forces.