Pentagon Formally Drops COVID Vaccine Mandate For Troops

The Pentagon has formally rescinded a mandate that all troops get vaccinated against COVID-19. The move was expected after President Joe Biden signed a bill just before Christmas ordering the Pentagon to lift the mandate. The provision, which was tucked in the National Defense Authorization Act, did not require the military to reinstate the roughly 8,400 service members who were discharged after refusing to get vaccinated.

While soldiers will not be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, other vaccine mandates will remain in place. In addition, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave commanders some leeway when it comes to deploying unvaccinated soldiers. In a memo, he wrote that "the ability of commanders to consider, as appropriate, the individual immunization status of personnel in making deployment, assignment, and other operational decisions, including when vaccination is required for travel to, or entry into, a foreign nation."

While the vaccine mandate has been lifted, Austin continued to urge all service members to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The Department will continue to promote and encourage COVID-19 vaccination for all service members," Austin wrote in the memo. "Vaccination enhances operational readiness and protects the force."