Soldiers who refuse to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and have not sought an exemption would be unable to re-enlist or be promoted, thus terminating their careers in the military.
US Secretary Army Releases a Memo
In a recently published article in MSN News, the Army Secretary has issued a memo warning hundreds of thousands of troops in the National Guard that if they refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, their membership in the troop may be terminated.
Christine E. Wormuth wrote in her memo that she is adamant about flagging any troops who fail to comply with the obligatory vaccination mandate. She also added that this would prevent them from promotions, awards, bonuses, and the like.
It is also stated in the memo that if soldiers continue to decline, they will be denied "continuous duty" unless an official vaccination exemption is given. Wormuth's warning comes during a confrontation with the Oklahoma National Guard that is still ongoing, according to a published report in The Hill.
Read Also : Pentagon's Vaccine Mandate Deadline Nears But Hundreds of Thousands of the US Service Remain Unvaccinated
Suspension of the Vaccine Mandate in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt urged Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to postpone the vaccination obligation for members of the Oklahoma National Guard earlier this month, claiming in a letter that around 10 percent of the force has not gotten a jab and does not intend to get vaccinated.
Moreover, the message of the memo sparked a tense standoff between Oklahoma authorities and the Pentagon, which demands that all National Guard personnel follow the same vaccination protocols as active-duty troops. Unless federally deployed, guard personnel are under the command of the governor, according to a report published in The New York Times.
In Oklahoma, 89 percent of airmen in the Guard have been vaccinated, compared to barely 40 percent of Army guardsmen; the Army National Guard's deadline is coming up next month. All branches of the military are free to set their own vaccination mandate dates for active duty and guard personnel, as well as their own sanctions for refusing to take the doses.
Pentagon Worry Other States May Follow
In a published article in Defense One, officials with the Texas National Guard, for example, said in an email that the Pentagon appeared to be imposing vaccine mandates on military and National Guard members without adequate protections in place of those with religious objections, and hinted that it, too, might allow members to skip the shots.
President Biden and his administration have taken actions or announced plans to take actions that threaten the sovereign authority of the State of Alaska, including imposing vaccine mandates on military and National Guard members without adequate protections in place for individuals with religious objections, according to Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.
Needless to say, it is unclear if the Pentagon can compel Guardsmen who serve under both federal and state jurisdiction to get vaccinated if their governors do not demand it. Vaccine exemptions have been issued by the Defense Department in the past, including persons who were already leaving the service or who had medical difficulties; but those for religious reasons are still waiting.
Related Article : US Military Officials to Require Vaccination Among Staff by September 15
