Ron Wyden, OR
Linked statement
“I am dropping my block on Lieutenant Colonel Vincent J. Noble's promotion. I originally blocked it because I thought he was involved in killing civilians in Afghanistan in 2007. New records from the military show he was cleared of wrongdoing in that attack. He has also already been punished for faking military records. His promotion can now move forward.”
“Mr. President, I am correcting the record and releasing my hold on Executive Calendar No. PN681-2, the promotion of Lt. Col. Vincent J. Noble. When I placed a hold on this promotion on March 24, 2026, I had gathered, from public reporting, including a New York Times article from 2007, that Vincent J. Noble was part of a Marine unit that fired at civilians as he and his patrol traveled 7 miles along a highway in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on March 4, 2007, killing 19 civilians indiscriminately. Following my initial public statement regarding my concerns about this military promotion, I received additional information from the Department of Defense clarifying the nature of Noble’s conduct in March 2007, over which the U.S. Marine Corps Court of Inquiry had conducted an in-depth investigation. Based on the official documents I have received from the Department of Defense related to Noble’s time with the Marines, as well as additional public reporting from the Military Times, I now know that Noble was not involved in massacring civilians on March 4, 2007. The U.S. Marine Corps Court of Inquiry convened in January 2008 determined the marines defended themselves appropriately and proportionally against the March 4, 2007, ambush, that no punitive or adverse administrative actions were warranted against the personnel of the convoy, and that the findings of the initial investigating officer were inconsistent with the evidence considered by the court. I had originally received an incomplete and inaccurate representation of Noble’s actions. Now, I am relieved to know he was not responsible for these civilians’ deaths. I have also been concerned with Lieutenant Colonel Noble’s admission of falsified military records. However, these events have been dealt with by the Commander, Marine Forces Central Command, with Noble having pleaded guilty and admitting his conduct unbecoming an officer. I remain hopeful that Noble proves to be a better colonel than he had been earlier as a captain, and I am releasing my hold.”
Mr. President, I am correcting the record and releasing my hold on Executive Calendar No. PN681-2, the promotion of Lt. Col. Vincent J. Noble. When I placed a hold on this promotion on March 24, 2026, I had gathered, from public reporting, including a New York Times article from 2007, that Vincent J. Noble was part of a Marine unit that fired at civilians as he and his patrol traveled 7 miles along a highway in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on March 4, 2007, killing 19 civilians indiscriminately. Following my initial public statement regarding my concerns about this military promotion, I received additional information from the Department of Defense clarifying the nature of Noble’s conduct in March 2007, over which the U.S. Marine Corps Court of Inquiry had conducted an in-depth investigation. Based on the official documents I have received from the Department of Defense related to Noble’s time with the Marines, as well as additional public reporting from the Military Times, I now know that Noble was not involved in massacring civilians on March 4, 2007. The U.S. Marine Corps Court of Inquiry convened in January 2008 determined the marines defended themselves appropriately and proportionally against the March 4, 2007, ambush, that no punitive or adverse administrative actions were warranted against the personnel of the convoy, and that the findings of the initial investigating officer were inconsistent with the evidence considered by the court. I had originally received an incomplete and inaccurate representation of Noble’s actions. Now, I am relieved to know he was not responsible for these civilians’ deaths. I have also been concerned with Lieutenant Colonel Noble’s admission of falsified military records. However, these events have been dealt with by the Commander, Marine Forces Central Command, with Noble having pleaded guilty and admitting his conduct unbecoming an officer. I remain hopeful that Noble proves to be a better colonel than he had been earlier as a captain, and I am releasing my hold.