[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 129 (Thursday, August 6, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NOMINATION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL VINCENT J. NOBLE

  Mr. WYDEN. 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.

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