Trump restores service status of soldiers who declined Covid-19 vaccines
The US president criticized the Pentagon's dismissal policies from 2021 to 2022, labeling them as “unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The US president has characterized the Pentagon’s dismissal policies implemented during 2021-22 as “unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary.”
President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to reinstate military personnel who were discharged due to their refusal to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
The Department of Defense mandated vaccination in August 2021, allowing service members until November of that year to get vaccinated. This mandate ended in January 2023.
In an executive order released on Monday, Trump criticized the policy, calling it an “unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members.” He also contended that the Pentagon failed to grant exemptions to many eligible troops.
“Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue,” the US president emphasized.
The order mandates the DOD to “make reinstatement available to all members of the military who were discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.” It also stipulates that service members who provide a written and sworn statement indicating they left the military because of the vaccine mandate should be allowed to return “with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.”
According to the order, the secretaries of defense and homeland security are required to update the president on their progress within 60 days.
In February 2022, then-Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth stated that “unvaccinated soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness.” She further noted that those who did not comply would face swift “involuntary administrative separation proceedings.”
Later that year, service leaders informed the Senate Armed Services Committee that roughly 3,400 service members had been discharged for refusing the vaccine, with nearly 2,000 of those separations from the Marine Corps alone. Breitbart later reported that the total number had risen to 6,400.
During December 2022, General David Berger, then-commandant of the Marine Corps, acknowledged that the vaccine mandate significantly impacted the recruitment of new troops, particularly in southern states.
Throughout 2022, all branches of the US military faced challenges in meeting their recruitment goals.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to reinstate military personnel who were discharged due to their refusal to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
The Department of Defense mandated vaccination in August 2021, allowing service members until November of that year to get vaccinated. This mandate ended in January 2023.
In an executive order released on Monday, Trump criticized the policy, calling it an “unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members.” He also contended that the Pentagon failed to grant exemptions to many eligible troops.
“Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue,” the US president emphasized.
The order mandates the DOD to “make reinstatement available to all members of the military who were discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.” It also stipulates that service members who provide a written and sworn statement indicating they left the military because of the vaccine mandate should be allowed to return “with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.”
According to the order, the secretaries of defense and homeland security are required to update the president on their progress within 60 days.
In February 2022, then-Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth stated that “unvaccinated soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness.” She further noted that those who did not comply would face swift “involuntary administrative separation proceedings.”
Later that year, service leaders informed the Senate Armed Services Committee that roughly 3,400 service members had been discharged for refusing the vaccine, with nearly 2,000 of those separations from the Marine Corps alone. Breitbart later reported that the total number had risen to 6,400.
During December 2022, General David Berger, then-commandant of the Marine Corps, acknowledged that the vaccine mandate significantly impacted the recruitment of new troops, particularly in southern states.
Throughout 2022, all branches of the US military faced challenges in meeting their recruitment goals.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
