I don’t get how holding up military appointments (and thus, promotions) can be done for any reasons outside of concerns for the ability to perform. It makes sense to hold up a position, a single position, out of many due to how an individual has performed in the past and allow for some discourse on the individual’s suitability. That’s completely reasonable and perhaps even desired.
How a single senator holds up hundreds of such individuals over something completely unrelated to the job performance of these flag officers is bewildering. The justification is bullshit.