U.S. Military Considers Back Pay for Troops Discharged Over Vax Mandate

The Pentagon is investigating the possibility of back pay to former service personnel who refused the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. This was officially canceled last week.

Opponents of the military’s vaccine mandate have long called for the more than 8,400 troops discharged for non-compliance to be reinstated with back pay. The door to reinstatement for these troops had already been opened in Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s memo ending the mandate.

A spokesperson for the Pentagon confirmed to POLITICO on Friday that back pay hasn’t been ruled out.

“Regarding back pay, the Department is still exploring this and will provide its views on legislation of this nature at the appropriate time and through the appropriate process,” Maj. Charlie Dietz from the Pentagon in an email to POLITICO Friday.

Austin’s memo Ending the vaccine mandate had allowed troops to request corrections to discharge records. This would have made it possible for them to reenlist. For troops who had applied for exemptions, it provided letters of reprimand or other punishments to be reversed.

The memo stated that troops cannot be released. “solely on the basis” Refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine “if they sought an accommodation on religious, administrative, or medical grounds.” All ongoing reviews on exemption requests had to stop.

However, it still allows for commanders to take individual soldiers’ immunization status into account when “making deployment, assignment, or other operational decisions.”

Austin was legally required by law to terminate the vaccine mandate via a provision in 2023’s military budget bill. Republicans opposed the mandate for years, and even Democratic support was limited, Military Times reported. reportedIn some cases, Democrats call for its repeal.

Some military officers cited the mandate as a contributing factor to recruitment shortages. In his memo, Austin said the military’s “vaccination efforts will leave a lasting legacy in the many lives we saved … and the high level of readiness we have maintained, amidst difficult public health conditions.”

This was breaking news. These details were regularly updated as new information became available. 

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