Trump to reinstate military members discharged for COVID vaccination status
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — President Donald Trump on Monday is set to sign an executive order reinstating military service members who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
The order directs the Secretary of Defense to reinstate both active and reserve military members who were discharged from their refusal to get vaccinated, according to the White House. Those who are reinstated will return to their previous rank and will receive back pay and benefits.
The administration highlights that between 2021 and 2023, the Biden Administration, along with former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, discharged over 8,000 service members solely because of their vaccination status.
After the mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of the over 8,000 troops who were dismissed chose to return to service under the Biden Administration.
During his inauguration speech on Jan. 20, Trump promised to take action. “This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, with full back pay,” he said.
Last year during a campaign speech, Trump also pledged to rehire service members dismissed over the vaccine mandate, offering them back pay along with a formal apology from the government.
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