US defense chief orders further measures, progress on COVID-19 reinstatements at Pentagon
'We're doing everything we can, as quickly as we can, to reinstate those who were affected' Pentagon’s discharge policy for refusing COVID-19 vaccine, says Pete Hegseth
ISTANBUL
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum for greater clarity in the Pentagon’s process to reinstate service members discharged for refusing the coronavirus vaccine, and outlined additional steps to support those who were affected, according to a statement by the agency.
"We're doing everything we can, as quickly as we can, to reinstate those who were affected by that policy," Hegseth said in the statement Wednesday.
Stressing that President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 27 to reinstate service members who were discharged under the agency’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, it noted it released guidelines in February detailing how the reinstatement process would be carried out.
While acknowledging that there have been setbacks in the reinstatement process, Hegseth emphasized that he and the agency are working to correct the issues, adding: "It hasn't been perfect, and we know that.”
"We're having an ongoing conversation with you to get it right. (We're) working with the White House as well. We want anyone impacted by that vaccine mandate back into the military — people of conscience, warriors of conscience — back in our formations," said Hegseth.
The memorandum instructs the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness to give further guidance to review boards handling the cases of service members who were discharged under the Pentagon’s now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the agency underlined.
"The guidance also will facilitate the removal of adverse actions on service members solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, including discharge upgrades and less than fully honorable discharges for individuals separated from refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine,” Hegseth said. "We're trying to scrub all that, clean all that up."
The Pentagon’s latest directive calls for the removal of disciplinary actions taken solely due to service members’ refusal to receive the vaccine, it noted.
The directive also mandates the upgrading of discharge statuses for those whose service was deemed less than honorable for the same reason, along with additional appropriate remedies for individuals whose careers were negatively affected by their refusal to be vaccinated, said the statement.
