Former Army physician Lt. Col. Danielle Smith has shared her experience of being forced out of the Army for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pentagon is now facing pressure from Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who is advocating on behalf of former service members who were discharged for the same reason. It has been revealed that nearly 2,000 service members were let go from the military due to their refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Amid ongoing recruitment troubles in 2023, the Army recently sent a letter to the discharged soldiers, offering them the chance to correct their characterization of discharge and rejoin the branch. This move is seen as an attempt to address the shortage of soldiers faced by the Army, which fell short of its FY 2023 recruiting goals by about 10,000 soldiers. Recruitment also fell short by 15,000 soldiers in 2022.
Senator Schmitt has raised several important questions in a letter to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth. He asks whether the re-enlisted soldiers would receive backpay, if they would be reinstated to their previous rank, and whether their religious freedoms would be protected moving forward. Schmitt emphasizes that the mandates surrounding COVID-19 vaccines have harmed military readiness and unfairly impacted the careers of thousands of brave volunteers. Many of these former members have faced negative implications for their veterans’ benefits and employment prospects outside of the military, making it unlikely that they will return to service.
The Army’s recruitment troubles have also been highlighted by Senator Schmitt, who reveals that 8,300 men and women were discharged across the entire military solely due to COVID-19 mandates. Specifically, the Army discharged 1,881 soldiers and only granted 191 exemptions out of 10,699 requests. The senator calls for a response from Secretary Wormuth by December 13, 2023.
In response to the concerns raised, the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs (OCPA) at the Army has assured that they will be directly responding to the letter. The Army reiterates that the letters sent to former service members are part of the overall COVID mandate rescission process mandated by Congress. The purpose of these letters is to provide information on how to request a correction of military records for those who were previously separated.
Thousands of troops, including soldiers, airmen, guardians, sailors, and Marines, unsuccessfully sought religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccination. The military letter sent to discharged service members offers forms to request corrections to military personnel records, as well as links for those interested in returning to service.
In conclusion, the Army’s decision to offer discharged soldiers the opportunity to correct their discharge characterization and rejoin the branch comes amid recruitment challenges and concerns raised by Senator Schmitt. The impact of COVID-19 vaccine mandates on military readiness and the careers of former service members is a matter of significant concern. The Army’s response to Senator Schmitt’s questions and the outcome of this initiative will be closely watched.
