The House Armed Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and Jim Banks, R-Ind., who chair of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, recently sent a letter of inquiry to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the effects the COVID-19 vaccine mandate had on service members.
It is unacceptable that the Pentagon has failed to provide answers to the questions the Committee has asked, especially concerning the decision to rescind the vaccine mandate. The National Defense Authorization Act for the 2023 fiscal year, which was passed on Dec. 23, included a requirement to rescind the mandate, and this led to the discharge of more than 8,400 service members.
In a memo on Jan. 10, Austin rescinded the mandate, but still gave commanders the ability to consider an individual’s immunization status when making operational decisions, such as deployment or entry into a foreign nation.
The letter from the House Armed Services Committee demanded the Pentagon provide answers by Feb. 22 on questions ranging from whether the Pentagon had reinstated any service members forced out for not taking a vaccine to if there is a plan for reinstating such service members.
It is clear that the Pentagon is dragging its feet in responding to the Committee’s requests for information, and the Department and the Biden Administration have refused to provide any answers. This is an unacceptable situation for our service members and for our country as a whole.
Democrats continue to push for more stringent vaccine mandates, and this should be a warning sign to all of us. Are vaccine mandates too much for our military? Are we willing to sacrifice the safety and service of our men and women in uniform just to satisfy a political agenda?
The virus is serious, and our service members should take every precaution they can. However, forcing them to take a vaccine against their will is wrong. Vaccines are a personal choice, and service members should not be subject to mandates that could put their lives and careers in jeopardy.
The Pentagon must answer the questions posed by the House Armed Services Committee and provide a plan for reinstating those service members who were unjustly discharged due to the vaccine mandate. It is essential that our service members are treated with respect and are given the freedom to make their own decisions on whether or not to take the vaccine.