Unvaxxed Military Members Still Facing Consequences Despite End of Mandate

The COVID-19 mandate was repealed by the Department of Defense, but unvaccinated military personnel still face repercussions. These include denied benefits, ineligibility to be promoted, being non-deployable, as well as diminished employment prospects for those who are already discharged.

On Dec. 23, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the $858 billion defense spending bill that included a measure repealing the mandate. Dec. 29: Defense Department followed suit, rescinding This mandate has caused a deterioration in military morale. It has led to the dismissal of over 8,000 soldiers who refused the vaccine.

The DOD acknowledged that the NDAA required Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in order to cancel his August 24, 2021 memo edicting the broad order, to repeal the vaccine mandate.

Despite the DOD memo that rescinds the August memo being issued, however, Army It didn’t apply the National Guard and Reserves, because there was an additional Nov. 30, 2021 memo which hadn’t been rescinded.

On January 10, the defense secretary issued a second memo. This memo rescinded both the August and November memos.

“The Department will continue to promote and encourage COVID-19 vaccination for all Service members,” The Jan. 10 memo is as follows.

Service members won’t “be separated solely on the basis of their refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccination if they sought an accommodation on religious, administrative, or medical grounds,” According to the memo. With the removal of the memo, records of military personnel will also be updated. “any adverse actions solely associated with denials of” COVID vaccine exemptions, “including letters of reprimand,” The reviews by members who seek exemptions will be closed.

The military branch commanders can, however, look at a servicemember’s vaccination status. “in making deployment, assignment, and other operational decisions, including when vaccination is required for travel to, or entry into, a foreign nation.”

Air Force Second Lt. Addie Hulet and 10 other officers who refused to get the vaccine have been in an ongoing legal and financial battle with the government. The NDAA “does not prevent the Department of Defense or anyone else from putting on mandates on service members, once again,” She spoke to the “Just the News, No Noise” Television show Monday. “Really, it just says, ‘Hey! If you want your money, get rid of this mandate immediately. However, it does not say that you cannot bring it back. It’s still allowing punishment to continue throughout the military.

“So what I’m looking for is for there to be justice for these service members, and I’m looking for there to be justice for service members who have been unlawfully removed from their position and whose livelihoods have been removed based solely on the fact of using their right to informed consent.”

Military attorney R. Davis Younts, who has represented service members in lawsuits challenging the military vaccine mandate on religious freedom grounds, told Just the News on Friday that rescinding the mandate is not a complete remedy and lawsuits will have to continue.

Younts is most concerned about the non-vaccinated reservists who were unintentionally transferred into the Non Participating Individual Ready Reserve. This state of limbo prevents them from participating in drills, receiving military orders, pay, retirement or healthcare.

These clients are getting the following guidance: “out of luck,” Younts stated that there is “no incentive to bring them back to active drilling reserve status.” Reservists will have approximately two years to regain active drilling status, before they are forced from the military.

To appeal their status, the reservists will have to appear in court. “why religious freedom cases should continue,” Younts explained that there is nothing about the NDAA “helps or protects them.”

Another problem is the removal of adverse actions in service members’ files. Younts claims that multiple unvaccinated clients were dismissed from their command positions due to their refusal to vaccinate or their request for religious exemption.

“Taking a letter of reprimand or adverse action out of a file doesn’t address that they were relieved of command for cause,” It still makes them ineligible to for promotions, Younts claimed, and it could also be detrimental to their career prospects. This “applies to thousands of military members,” He said that no one can be promoted. “go to training, or get leadership assignments.” 

Even after the removal of any adverse actions from the files for unvaccinated individuals, performance reports covering the past two years are still available “look terrible,” Explained by Younts. Their vaccination status might have prevented them attending trainings, performing duties, and moving to a different position. Service members are eligible to be promoted if they submit performance reports.

The repealed mandate “doesn’t address ongoing coercive tactics that the DOD used against military members to get them vaccinated,” he added, citing the case of a Navy officer who because he wasn’t vaccinated spent eight and a half months on an aircraft carrier while others on board were allowed to leave.

The attorney claims that unvaccinated members of the military may not be able to deploy and could be sent home.

There are also service members who have been discharged. Younts claimed that approximately 8,000 to 9,000 military personnel were removed due to the vaccine mandate. But, Younts pointed out that this doesn’t include the many thousands of service members who were also separated. “voluntarily” You were either separated, retired or unable reenlist.

The majority of service members separated from the military over the vaccine mandate received a general discharge, Younts explained, which prevents them from receiving GI Bill benefits and veterans’ preference points for jobs. A general discharge that does not include a refusal to receive the COVID vaccine can be stigmatizing and could cause problems for a service member who has been separated. While such individuals can hire an attorney to write a letter explaining they were discharged over the vaccine mandate, not all employers would view that favorably, he cautioned.

“We need to act and for Congress to do more,” Younts said. “We can’t trust the DOD and the secretaries of the services to change their position and go from being hostile and aggressive towards Christians fighting the mandate and suddenly completely change. I expect coercion, legal issues, rights violations, and pushing people to board of corrections. It’s tough.”

A spokesperson from the DOD spoke to Just the News on Friday in a statement: “All Service members and Veterans may apply at any time to the appropriate Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction for Military/Naval Records if they believe that there is an error or injustice in their records — to include those that were separated by the vaccine mandate. 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.”

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