HEGSETH PLEDGES TO REINSTATE, REPAY TROOPS WHO REFUSED MILITARY VACCINE MANDATE

After the outbreak of COVID-19, a controversial military vaccine mandate came to be causing a great deal of pushback and conversation about vaccines as a whole. Many troops refused and separated from service but it was eventually rescinded. Now, with President Trump’s second term, there are talks among leadership to reinstate and repay those who were affected.

Does the Military Have a Vaccine Mandate?

The military rescinded its COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2023 after years of pushback. Initially, the measure was done in the name of public safety but combined with the politics involved, it became a high point of contention.

Keep in mind that other vaccine mandates are still required in the military involving a variety of ailments as seen fit by the branch you join.

Why Was the Mandate Lifted?

The military vaccine mandate was lifted based on political maneuverings and negotiations made in order to pass the National Defense Authorization Act. Democrats on this issue recognize that the “public has moved on.” Key party members have mentioned that when the military vaccine mandate was put in place back in August 2021 by the Department of Defense, it was definitely the right policy. They cited the fact that the policy saved lives and ensured that the military could be as immune to the COVID-19 pandemic as possible.

As of December 2022, government officials reflected on the military vaccine mandate and questioned if the policy still made sense. After careful consideration, and in light of the NDAA becoming a target for partisan politics, officials in both parties agreed to give up the mandate for now.

The military was hit with several military vaccine mandate lawsuits, which prevented the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force from isolating the troops who refused to be vaccinated on religious grounds. In the aftermath of the situation, some say that the discussion, lawsuits, and larger debate may have affected the ability of the military to recruit future service members.

Due to the political turmoil regarding the U.S. military vaccine mandate, some argued that it was causing potential recruits to question whether they should join the military or not. The political tug-of-war between the Republicans and Democrats caused chaos within the military in conversations surrounding the military vaccine mandate.

In the end, the issue of continuing the U.S. military vaccine mandate was settled with the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). With the bill heading to Biden’s desk for a signature, allowing a choice of vaccination among members of the military seems almost certain.

Although the opposition to the mandate won out, there are still some people, including top military leaders and top health officials, who still insist that the vaccination for military personnel was necessary. While some rejoice at the ruling of repealing the military vaccine mandate, Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s spokesperson, said at the December 7 news briefing that the Secretary was “very clear in his comments that he supports continuing and maintaining the vaccine mandate.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes that the vaccine has done incredible work in saving lives across the nation, as the immunity it grants is not just limited to lives in the military but also to the lives of the millions upon millions of civilians living within the United States.

In the time that the military vaccine mandate was in effect, the Army discharged at least 1,851 Soldiers, the Air Force separated with 834 service members, the Marine Corps let go of 3,717 Marines, and the Navy discharged 2,041 of its Sailors.

Will Service Members Who’ve Been Discharged for Not Getting the Vaccine Be Let Back In?

According to NBC News, reporting suggests that military branches could consider allowing troops who had been separated from their respective branches to rejoin if they have not received other-than-honorable discharges. Discussions amongst the Pentagon leaders as to whether such a thing is permissible are in progress. The annual NDAA, determining the military’s budget for the year, is about to be signed into law. When that happens, letting service members back into the military following the vaccine mandate repeal might be a possibility.

Officials say that requests to rejoin the military are handled on a case-by-case basis. One major factor involves whether or not troops were honorably or dishonorably discharged from the military. In other words, whether or not a particular service member left under good circumstances. If so, they may be allowed to come back.

In many cases, the official reason for separation was failing to follow the military vaccine mandate. Those who still meet the age and fitness standards of the military and still want to join would likely be granted the option to come back into the military once the military vaccine mandate is repealed. However, it’s also important to note that those who want to rejoin may not be entitled to the same pay grade that they once had, and the same goes for their rank before they were honorably discharged.

These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, but any potential rejoining service members shouldn’t count on their pay grade or rank being returned to them. As the future is uncertain, leaders in the Pentagon are concerned about how the change will affect the readiness of the military.

Will it change the dynamic within the military? How would rejoined service members get back into service, logistically? There are a lot of unanswered questions that beg to be answered for the sake of the integrity of military preparedness.

Pete Hegseth and the Military Vaccine Mandate

The U.S. Senate repealed the military vaccine mandate for COVID-19 as doubt about its effectiveness, politics, and questions involving religious or medical exemptions brought forth lawsuits and a lot of opinions.

Now, the nominee for the Secretary of Defense under Donald Trump is working to reinstate troops who left after the mandate was required and repay them in the process.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Pete Hegseth made this known during a line of questioning about diversity and discrimination policies in the military, for whatever reason.

“Tens of thousands of service members were kicked out because of an experimental vaccine. They will be apologized to. They will be reinstated, reinstituted with pay and rank,” said Hegseth.

Fewer than 0.5% of the military were affected by the policy and their ultimate separation because of it; however, it’s been an ongoing theme of the political arena, especially for Republicans, over the last few years.

After the vaccine mandate was lifted, Pentagon leaders allowed dismissed individuals to reapply for military service, though only a few did.

If Hegseth is confirmed and his proposal becomes policy, back pay could cost hundreds of millions, and it’s uncertain if those dismissed would rejoin the military.

A formal apology from Pentagon leadership would be free but could anger advocacy groups, as the dismissed troops had disobeyed direct orders.

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