By December 2021, all active-duty soldiers should be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the U.S. Army.
The mandate was announced last Tuesday, Sept. 14, as the Army attempts to meet the Pentagon's order that all servicemembers be vaccinated against coronavirus by mid-September.
National Guard must also be fully vaccinated by June 2022
According to a press release released on Tuesday, soldiers will be mandated by the Army to be fully inoculated by Dec. 15. This means they need to get all required doses of the vaccine and reach the two-week waiting period after getting their last dose.
Aside from soldiers in the U.S. Army, National Guard troops must also be fully vaccinated by June 30, 2022.
According to Lieutenant General R. Scott Dingle, the U.S. Army Surgeon General, the vaccine mandate might save many lives. He added that the move is an essential one since case counts and deaths are alarming as the Delta variant continues to spread.
Despite the negative side effects of the vaccines, Dingle said that protecting the force through mandatory vaccination is a "health and readiness priority for the total Army."
Early in August the Pentagon announced that all U.S. troops need to get a coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 15. (Related: US soldiers sue federal agencies over military’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements.)
When the order was announced on Aug. 9, 73 percent of active duty servicemembers had already received at least one shot while 62 percent were fully vaccinated. The number has risen since then.
Early in September, President Joe Biden announced that most workers in the country must get vaccinated. Now, employers with 100 or more employees need proof of vaccination from their workers.
Otherwise, employers are required to have at least weekly coronavirus testing. This unnecessary and costly order affects at least two-thirds of the U.S. workforce.
Back in July, the Pentagon released a memo requiring all personnel working in or visiting the building to wear a mask.
But compared to a facemask, requiring a vaccine at all may face legal challenges.
In a statement to reporters, Washington, D.C., employment law firm Tully Rinckey explained that while federal law doesn't prohibit public agencies and private businesses from requiring coronavirus vaccines, even if the vaccines were only authorized for emergency use, Biden's vaccine mandate "will be challenged and face intense opposition."
U.S. Army suffers for Biden's shortcomings
When military members enlist, they sign a contract with the government. Staff members are also facing orders to get inoculated as Biden faces criticism for declining rates and reimplementation of mask mandates in high case rate areas.
According to the Army's press release, soldiers who refuse the vaccine may even be discharged or relieved from service.
Soldiers can request an exemption from receiving the vaccine, if they have "a legitimate medical, religious or administrative reason." Otherwise, soldiers who have pending exemption requests won't be facing "adverse actions" until the exemption is fully processed.
The Army started implementing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's order on Aug. 24 to ensure that soldiers receive their first vaccine doses before Sept. 15. Before then, vaccines were optional for active-duty Army troops, as they should be for citizens of a free country like America.
Possible consequences for not complying in the Army vary depending on your role:
- Army commanders, command sergeants major, first sergeants and officers about to receive future command assignments who don't want to be vaccinated and are not given an exemption will be suspended and relieved from duty.
- Soldiers of all ranks who are not in command positions may receive a general order of reprimand that can be removed from their file the next time they are transferred. The reprimand may also be placed into their permanent file, which can negatively affect all future assignments and promotions.
The Army is the last branch of the military to issue guidelines after the Pentagon announced last August that all active-duty military personnel must be inoculated.
The Navy and Marines have already told their rank and file that they are also required to get vaccinated:
- All active-duty Air Force troops must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 2.
- Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members must be inoculated by Dec. 2.
Active-duty sailors and Marines must be fully vaccinated within 90 days of Aug. 30. On the other hand, reserve Navy service members have 120 days to comply.
According to the Navy plan, refusal without an approved exemption may result in administrative action.
Vaccination rates in the military have already surpassed most of the country but commanders are aiming for nearly total compliance due to fears that failure to get everyone vaccinated could affect readiness.
But is military readiness worth a Marine's, soldier's or airman's freedom to choose whether they get vaccinated or not?
Visit VaccineWars.com to learn more about oppressive vaccine mandates in America and other countries.
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