Stanley, others confirmed at Senate hearing - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Stanley, others confirmed at Senate hearing

A quick detour during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday on the new Afghanistan troop surge resulted in the confirmation of 1,938 pending military nominations, including the former Marine Corps general who will serve as the Pentagon’s personnel chief.

In addition to confirming retired Maj. Gen. Clifford Stanley as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, the senators gave an affirmative nod to a list of nominees that also included Frank Kendall III to be principal deputy undersecretary of defense, Erin Conaton as undersecretary of the Air Force, Terry Yonkers as assistant secretary of the Air Force and Lawrence Romo as director of the Selective Service.

Stanley will serve as the senior policy adviser to Defense Secretary Robert Gates for recruiting, career development, retention, and pay and benefits issues for all 2.7 million active-duty, National Guard and reserve troops and 689,000 Defense Department civilian employees.

He’ll also oversee the Military Health System, all defense commissaries and exchanges, the Defense Education Activity and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, a training program.

Stanley, who retired from active duty in 2002, spent the past five years as president and chief executive officer of Scholarship America, a national scholarship-enabling organization. He replaces David S.C. Chu, who held the job under President George W. Bush from 2001-08.

The Senate committee’s approvals pleased Gates, seated at the witness table along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

“By the way, thank you, Mr. Chairman,” a beaming Gates said to Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who heads the committee.

“I knew you would … appreciate that intervention,” Levin replied.

“Yes, I do,” Gates replied.