The U.S. Army has sent letters to military personnel who faced involuntary discharge due to their refusal to get vaccinated against Covid. In these letters, the Army is extending an invitation to those who remained unvaccinated, proposing to rectify their military records if they choose to rejoin the service.
A copy of the letter was acquired by Igor Chudov:
Just two years ago, the Pentagon initiated a campaign to discharge soldiers who refused to receive Covid vaccines, a move criticized as shameful. Despite assurances that these discharges would not impact military readiness, it became evident that there were consequences. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Ottignon assured lawmakers that there were no operational impacts, but the Marine Corps discharged 1,968 service members, with 20% receiving an honorable discharge, affecting nearly 1% of the total force of around 215,000.
While the official stance claimed no impact on readiness, the dismissals did affect readiness as thousands of service members were let go, and potential recruits hesitated to enlist due to reluctance regarding Covid vaccines. Over 17,000 service members cited concerns about the vaccine’s rapid development, misinformation about mRNA technology, and apprehensions related to fetal cell lines used in formulation and testing.
The Covid vaccine mandate led to the removal of 8,339 servicemembers, three times more than the 2,402 soldiers tragically killed in Afghanistan. The discharged soldiers were often described as the best, brightest, healthiest, and most conscientious individuals who cared deeply about their health. Many received career-damaging reprimands, with 2,767 soldiers receiving “general officer written reprimands,” affecting their opportunities for promotions or transfers within the military. Additionally, two battalion commanders and four other officers were relieved of their duties but remained enlisted.
Despite these consequences, the military maintained silence, leading to a 25% shortfall in recruitment goals. Covid vaccinations, among other factors, contributed to the reduction in the army’s end strength from an initial level of 485,000 in late 2021 to around 452,000 active-duty soldiers today.