Reply #2: this promotion has to have Senate approval [View All]

[DrDan]

"General officers are nominated for promotion by the President of the United States, and confirmed by the Senate. You can't get more "political" than that. The services hold in-service promotion boards to recommend officers for general officer promotion to the President. When vacancies occur (a general officer gets promoted or retires), the President nominates officers to be promoted from these lists (with advice from the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the applicable service, and the Service Chief of Staff/Commandant)."

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/promotions/l/blofficerprom.htm