Pentagon to require COVID vaccine for all troops by Sept. 15
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will require members of the U.S. military to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. That deadline could be pushed up if the vaccine receives final FDA approval or infection rates continue to rise.
© Provided by Associated Press FILE - In this July 21, 2021 file photo, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks at a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington. Austin has said he is working expeditiously to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for military personnel and is expected to ask Biden to waive a federal law that requires individuals be given a choice if the vaccine is not fully licensed. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)
"I will seek the president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon" licensure by the Food and Drug Administration "whichever comes first," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says in the memo to troops, warning them to prepare for the requirement.
He added that if infection rates rise and potentially affect military readiness, "I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force."
The memo is expected to go out Monday.
Austin's decision comes a bit more than a week after President Joe Biden told defense officials to develop a plan requiring troops to get shots as part of a broader campaign to increase vaccinations in the federal workforce. It reflects similar decisions by governments and companies around the world, as nations struggle with the highly contagious delta variant that has sent new U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths surging to heights not see since the peaks last winter.
© Provided by Associated Press FILE - This March 27, 2008, file photo, shows the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
Austin said in his memo says that the military services will have the next few weeks to prepare, determine how many vaccines they need, and how this mandate will be implemented. The additional time, however, also is a nod to the bitter political divisiveness over the vaccine and the knowledge that making it mandatory will likely trigger opposition from vaccine opponents across the state and federal governments, Congress and the American population.
It also provides time for the FDA to give final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected early next month. Without that formal approval, Austin would need a waiver from Biden to make the shots mandatory.
Troops often live and work closely together in barracks and on ships, increasing the risks of rapid spreading. And any large outbreak of the virus in the military could affect America's ability to defend itself in any national security crisis.
The decision will add the COVID-19 vaccine to a list of other inoculations that service members are already required to get. Depending on their location around the world, service members can get as many as 17 different vacci
Austin's memo also said that in the meantime, the Pentagon will comply with Biden's order for additional restrictions on any federal personnel who have not been vaccinated. Those restrictions will include wearing masks, social distancing and travel limits.
According to the Pentagon, more than 1 million troops are fully vaccinated and another 237,000 have received one shot. But the military services vary widely in their vaccination rates.
The Navy said that more than 74% of all active duty and reserve sailors have been vaccinated with at least one shot. The Air Force, meanwhile, said that more than 65% of its active duty and 60% reserve forces are at least partially vaccinated, and the number for the Army — by far the largest service — appears to be closer to 50%.
Military officials have said the pace of vaccines has been growing across the force, with some units — such as sailors deploying on a warship — seeing nearly 100% of their members get shots. But the totals drop off dramatically, including among the National Guard and Reserve, who are much more difficult to track.
Some unvaccinated service members have suggested they'd get the shot once it's required, but others are flatly opposed. Military officials have said that once the vaccine is mandated, a refusal could constitute failure to obey an order, and may be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Army guidance, for example, includes counseling soldiers to ensure they understand the purpose of the vaccine and the threat the disease poses. The Army also notes that if a soldier "fails to comply with a lawful order to receive a mandatory vaccine, and does not have an approved exemption, a commander may take appropriate disciplinary action."
Military service officials have said they don't collect data on the number of troops who have refused other mandated vaccines, such as anthrax, hepatitis, chicken pox or flu shots over the past decade or more. And they weren't able to provide details on the punishments any service members received as a result of the refusal.
Officials said they believe the number of troops refusing other mandated vaccines is small. And the discipline could vary.
Also, service members can seek an exemption from any vaccine — either temporary or permanent — for a variety of reasons including health issues or religious beliefs. Regulations involving the other mandatory vaccines say, for example, that anyone who had a severe adverse reaction to the vaccine can be exempt, and those who are pregnant or have other conditions can postpone a shot.
Some have argued that those who have already had the virus — and have antibodies — are immune and thus should not have to get the shot. It's not clear how the military will act on those types of assertions.
According to defense officials, some senior military leaders have expressed support for making the vaccine mandatory believing it will help keep the force healthy. Military commanders have also struggled to separate vaccinated recruits from unvaccinated recruits during early portions of basic training across the services in order to prevent infections. So, for some, a mandate could make training and housing less complicated.
Navy officials said last week that there has been only one case of COVID-19 hospitalization among sailors and Marines who are fully vaccinated. In comparison, the Navy said there have been more than 123 hospitalizations "in a similarly sized group of unvaccinated sailors and Marines." It said fewer than 3% of its immunized troops have tested positive for COVID-19.
The other military services did not provide similar data.
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A good step for the military.
I have three active-duty relatives, two have been fully vaccinated and the third recently called my BIL, his grandfather, and asked my BIL to pick him up at the airport.
The conversation went like this.
Hi grandpa will you pick me up at the airport I'll be visting with you and grandma for a week.
BIL, are you fully vaccinated?
Grandson, no I'm waiting.
BIL, call me when you're fully vaccinated until then don't even think of coming here.
Grandson, but grandpa I'm you're grandson.
BIL, I don't care who you are, I spent 24 years in Combat Infantry Units and I'm not going to risk my life cuz some dumb ass recruit doesn't have the brains to get vaccinated.
LMAO
I'm surprised this wasn't mandated earlier. you would think the health of our service people would be a priority.
I think that was all about getting final approval for the vaccine.
What Kav said. The Pentagon can't require a vaxx unless it's got full approval from the FDA.
nothing stopping the troops from getting the vax off base tho, right?
Nope...but they've been giving the vaxx at the base hospitals/clinic. Mr G, a retiree who works on the base, was given a set day and time to get his.
That's funny!
That is funny
Never piss off or make stupid statements to an E-8 with 24 years in Infantry units.
I didn't think they would go full vax until the final approval, but with the new surge I'm not really surprised. Also I've never known a service member to question getting a shot unless they had some allergy. I was never given a choice.
We never even got a choice of what arm do you want it in..
LOL
LOL!
Nope...never got to choose which arm. Just roll 'em up and BAM!
Quit screaming...it didn't hurt that bad
Army basic it was roll up both sleeves and BAM in both arms. Did my PT test at the end of AIT right after getting boosters too.
Air Force basic was the same. Except I think we got to rest after getting our shots
Where did you go through AIT at, EG?
Fort Gordon outside of Augusta GA. I was there for 13 weeks in late summer - early fall 1984. Opposed to my 13 week schooling in the Coast Guard at Petaluma, CA in fall of 1991. Loved Petaluma and that whole upper West Coast area.
I went through AIT and Jump School at Ft Benning and yeah I know where Ft Gordon is. When I was in there was no AIT at Ft Gordon it was all communication schools and I think MP school.
The Petaluma area is a great place, I love that area.
I got stuck at BT with a "package platoon" of 82 Airborne radio operators. They were also at Gordon for AIT. My BT buddy and I got matching tattoos one night in Augusta. I did crypto equipment repair. 13 weeks 13 different pieces of equipment to learn.
Training with the PRK10 or maybe a later version since you were in well after me.
Being stuck is heresy, EG. You were privileged to be associated with 82 Airborne RO's. There I corrected it for you.
LOL. They were mostly good guys, don't know why people would volunteer to jump out of working airplanes, but that's their business. Hahaha! JK. My AIT class had a whopping 4 people in it, myself included. We ended up getting bounced around a couple of companies there. Our CO in the one company we started at (and ended with) had this plastic yellow chain around the barracks. People all over post prided themselves on trying to get away with busting it and stealing lengths of chain, so we had a 2 person "chain guard" that walked around the building all night.
LOL, you're sure that wasn't the ''chain gang''...
Some days it felt like it. Though one evening the lady I was on duty with took turns sipping pink sparkling wine from her car behind the building. LOL.
Oh no, fraternizing
Bout damn time, can't believe it was optional to begin with
I agree but I believe it's all about the vaccine be given the green light, not just emergency approval.
Understood but I like you and others I'm just not used to being given a choice in the military
Back in the day it would go something like this.
Sgt. Kavika report for your covid vaccine.
Me, no I'm opting out.
That was not a suggestion Sargent, MP's arrest Sgt. Kavika
End of story.
As a few days ago the military had reported 318,000 plus covid cases and 385 deaths.
Good. Glad it is happening. The hospital I work for is working on making it mandatory. Today we just reinstated mask mandates indoors at work for vaccinated & non-vaccinated persons.