Editorial Photo Credit: Raoul B Photography
The Pentagon began requiring members of the military to get vaccinated last summer. But as of Wednesday morning, February 3, the Army announced that U.S. Army soldiers who refuse to be vaccinated for COVID-19 will be discharged.
The military branch said it will “immediately begin separating Soldiers from the service” who refuse to be vaccinated or who don’t have an approved or pending request for exemption.
As of Jan. 26, 96% of active troops have been completely vaccinated, while 3,350 soldiers have refused to get the vaccine. Nearly 5,900 have received temporary exemptions. Soldiers who are discharged for refusing to be vaccinated “will not be eligible for involuntary separation pay” and may have to return any unearned special or incentive pay, the Army said.
Those who have asked for a medical exemption or religious accommodations are temporarily exempt from the vaccination requirement while their requests are being reviewed.
You can read more here: Army.mil