Pentagon officially DROPS Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate for the U.S. military

The Pentagon officially removed the US military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate nearly 17 months after it was first imposed by the Biden administration under Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The controversial policy has been under fire from Republicans since its inception, amid an escalating recruitment crisis for new troops.

The latest order from defense officials follows the language of the 2023 defense budget bill, which President Joe Biden signed into law in late December.

According to Defense Department data cited by Reuters, 3,717 Marines, 1,816 soldiers and 2,064 sailors have since been discharged for refusing to get vaccinated.

Austin encouraged all service members to still get vaccinated and recover, but announced that the military will no longer fire troops who refuse the vaccine.

Biden ordered all military members to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in August 2021

“No person currently serving in the Armed Forces will be discharged solely for their refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they sought an exemption in religious, administrative or medical rounds,” the Pentagon chief said.

“Military departments will update the records of such individuals to eliminate any adverse action associated solely with the denial of such requests, including letters of reprimand.”

In August 2021, Biden ordered all 1.3 million active members of the US military to be fully vaccinated.

Service members who refused to be vaccinated were threatened with the loss of their pay, among other disciplinary measures.

Defense officials blamed such resistance on misinformation about vaccines. However, Austin noted in his memo the high vaccination rate among troops in all branches.

“The Department has made vaccinating against COVID-19 as easy and convenient as possible, resulting in vaccinations being administered to more than two million Service members and 96 percent of the force, active and reserve, are fully vaccinated,” Austin wrote.

Preventive Medicine Services NCOIC Sergeant 1st Class Demetrius Roberson administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a Soldier September 9, 2021 at Fort Knox, Kentucky

The mandate has survived lawsuits and much criticism from the GOP, but Democrats have agreed to include language in the annual National Defense Authorization Act to end it in order to get enough Republicans to sign on to the legislation that must pass.

“I’m delighted to report that the COVID vaccine military mandate is finally OVER thanks to the hard work of conservatives in Congress,” Republican Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois said Tuesday night.

‘Some said that an NDAA rescinding the [vaccine] the mandate would never pass. I’m so happy that we fought and won this victory for our TROOPS!’

Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky cheered, “One of the worst political decisions affecting military readiness is finally over.”

In his Tuesday night memo, Austin noted that it is still up to military commanders to deploy unvaccinated troops.

“Other ongoing Department policies, procedures, and processes regarding immunizations remain in effect,” Austin wrote.

“These include the ability of commanders to consider, as appropriate, the individual immunization status of personnel when making deployment, assignment, and other operational decisions.”