The US Army will ban all unvaccinated soldiers who do not provide medical exemption from re-enlisting or being promoted if they make their...
The US Army will ban all unvaccinated soldiers who do not provide medical exemption from re-enlisting or being promoted if they make their refusal to get the shot final.
The new policy, announced on Tuesday, includes all soldiers in the Army and the Reservesy. It also applies to all National Guardsmen who work in states where the governor has not mandated vaccines, like Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.
The move will effectively end unvaccinated soldiers' military careers if they do not make the June 2022 deadline.
The November 16 memo, signed by Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, states that a service member's record will be flagged the day they make their final vaccine refusal - which requires a meeting with a medical professional and a second order to get vaccinated, Defense One reported.
'I authorize commanders to impose bars to continued service…for all soldiers who refuse the mandatory vaccine order without an approved exemption or pending exemption request,' Wormuth wrote.
'The soldier will remain flagged until they are fully vaccinated, receive an approved medical or administrative exemption, or separate from the Army.'
Roughly 66 per cent of all branches of the Army, including the Guard is fully vaccinated.
The Army is 92 per cent vaccinated, while the Reserve and National Guard are 55 and 52 per cent vaccinated, respectively, according to the US Army.
A new Army policy requires all soldiers - active-duty, Reserves, and the Army National Guard - to be fully vaccinated by June 2022 or face separation from the Army. Soldiers' records will remain flagged after they give their final refusal for the vaccine, which requires a second order to get vaccinated and a meeting with a medical professional. After the record is flagged, the soldier will either have to get vaccinated, receive an approved medical or administrative exemption, or separated from the Army
The Army is 66 per cent vaccinated across all branches, with the main component being at 92 per cent vaccinated. The Army Reserves is 55 per cent fully vaccinated, while the Army National Guard remains the lowest at 52 per cent. Other branches of the military have also imposed vaccine mandates or face separation, with the Air Force's deadline for its main sector already past due. The Navy and the Marine Corps have deadlines in November and December, with the Reserves and National Guard having a longer deadline
The National Guard, which is mainly controlled on a state level until Title 32, has the lowest level of vaccination rates and some governors are rebuking the federal mandate.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recently told troops the state's National Guard that they do not need to comply with President Joe Biden's mandate, which requires all troops in uniform to be vaccinated.
Stitt reported to the Pentagon that around 800 members were not planning on receiving the vaccine, which is 10 per cent of the state force.
The Pentagon rejected this dispute, saying that the Guard is still required to meet military readiness and medical requirements, such as vaccinations, according to CNN.
'The Army’s focus continues to be maintaining a ready force to respond when our nation calls,' an Army representative told DailyMail.com.
The National Guard remains until Title 32, unless it is activated under federal orders, or Title 10, where the government can control the Guard. This is typically seen when soldiers are deployed overseas.
A gray area is created since the government funds the National Guard, despite soldiers being under state control. Since the Army depends on remaining a ready force for overseas missions - which was used in Iraq and Afghanistan - the government pays for the troops, despite members reporting to the governor, according to Defense One.
The National Guard was used more in 2020 than during the Second World War, as members assisted with wildfires, domestic unrest, and to administrator COVID-19 vaccinations, Defense One reported.
'We are getting to this point where the federal government and state governments are essentially fighting over who has control of the force,' managing partner of Tully Rinckey law firm Anthony Kuhn told Defense One.
Kuhn also said he was not surprised the Army decided to cut funding for soldiers and Guardsman who remain unvaccinated.
'It's kind of a backdoor way to force this policy on the states,' he told Defense One.
Soldiers choosing to remain unvaccinated will be allowed to leave the military under a disability evaluation, retirement, resignation, or separation after completion of service, the Army reported.
The Air Force required all active-duty and Space Force Guardians to be vaccinated by November 2. The Air Force Reserve has until December 2.
The Air Force is 96.4 per cent fully vaccinated with almost 450,000 members vaccinated already immunized.
An airman, 22, who asked to remain anonymous, told DailyMail.com that they feel, in their opinion, that 'get vaccinated or get out' is 'completely normal' in the military.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth (pictured) signed the November 16 memo. She said: 'I authorize commanders to impose bars to continued service…for all soldiers who refuse the mandatory vaccine order without an approved exemption or pending exemption request'
'I feel like the "get out or get vaccinated" is completely normal for the military. It is an order to get vaccinated and if you choose to not get the vaccine (other than the normal religious or medical exemptions) you should understand that you will get kicked out.
'That's how the military works, you get an order and you do it.'
The Navy - the most vaccinated branch of the military where 96.7% of active-duty sailors have had the shot - has also announced that it will be discharging all soldiers who refuse to get vaccinated.
Sailors who fail to get vaccinated will be given the lowest honorable discharge, which could eliminate their eligibility for some veteran benefits, the Navy Times reported.
Active-duty sailors have until November 28 to get fully vaccinated, while the Navy Reserves have until December 14.
Those who are denied medical exemptions will have five days to start the vaccination or separation process, Fox News reported.
No religious exemptions have been accepted and only six medical have been approved, the Navy Times reported.
Soldiers will also not receive bonuses, special pays, or incentive pays because 'when a Navy service member refusing the vaccine [they are[ no longer performing duties for which they are receiving such' incentives.
Members of the Marine Corps, which is a part of the Navy, have until November 28 to get vaccinated, and the Marine Reserves has until December 28.
The Navy Department announced they will treat Marines 'in a respectful manner' and are 'not going to all kick them out on the day,' Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told Task and Purpose.
'We will be addressing each case on a case-by-case basis,' he said.
'We’re going to try find out what’s their problem and holdup in getting the vaccine, try to counsel them the best we can, offer them an opportunity to change their mind with regards to the vaccinations,' Del Toro told Task and Purpose.
'Hopefully, they’ll get the vaccination at that point in time. And if they don’t, obviously, then they’re not going to be able to continue serving in the Marine Corps.'
More than 180,000 Marines have been fully vaccinated.
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