In a significant development, 19 soldiers are making a triumphant return to the Army nearly a year after Congress compelled the Pentagon to retract its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The exclusive information obtained by The Post reveals a strategic move by the military to bolster its ranks amid ongoing recruitment hurdles.
The US Army is having a hard time recruiting. Now it's asking soldiers dismissed for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine to come back.https://t.co/qdgspxC3IB
— Scott Mitchell (@ScottMit99) November 22, 2023
This revelation follows the Army’s recent initiative, wherein a letter was dispatched to soldiers who had previously refused the vaccine, inviting them to reapply for service. The outreach effort was prompted by the broader process of rescinding the COVID mandate, as mandated by Congress, and aims to address the military’s pressing recruitment issues.
Army spokesman Bryce Dubee clarified, stating, “As part of the overall COVID mandate rescission process mandated by Congress, the Army this month mailed the letters to approximately 1,900 individuals who had previously been separated.” This signals a proactive approach by the military to reevaluate the status of those discharged under vaccine-related circumstances.
The soldiers who declined the vaccine without a valid exemption found themselves discharged for violating a lawful order. The Army, facing a considerable number of such cases, discharged 1,903 soldiers under these specific conditions alone.
The reinstatement of these 19 soldiers not only marks a personal triumph for them but also underscores the complex challenges the military is navigating in the aftermath of the vaccine mandate reversal. This move is undoubtedly a response to the broader recruitment difficulties faced by the armed forces, as they actively seek to rebuild their ranks.
As the Army welcomes back these soldiers, it remains to be seen how this unprecedented situation will impact the ongoing dynamics of military recruitment and the broader discourse surrounding vaccine mandates within the armed forces.