The Senate voted to confirm Air Force Gen. John Hyten as the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CQ reported.
The 75-22 vote promotes Hyten to the become DOD’s second highest-ranking military officer.
Hyten has a decorated, decades-long career at the highest levels of the military, but his confirmation had been stalled by allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with a subordinate while he led the U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons.
However, Air Force officials maintained support for Hyten after an internal investigation lacked insufficient evidence for charges and released parts of their investigation, as On Base previously reported.
“The Armed Services Committee takes sexual assault allegations very seriously,” said Senate Armed Services Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) before the vote, highlighting that the Air Force had investigated Hyten and committee members were able to speak to both Hyten and his accuser before his nomination.
The Senate Armed Services Committee heard closed-door testimony from both Hyten and his accuser before voting 20-7 to advance his nomination to a Senate vote.
Hyten will join the Joint Chiefs staff that provides military advice to both the president and Defense secretary.
DOD photo by EJ Hersom