New Defense Bill Orders Pentagon to Consider Reinstating Troops Fired for COVID-19 Vaccine Refusal

Published on December 7, 2023

A new defense bill, unveiled Dec. 7, directs the U.S. military officials to consider reinstating troops who were removed from the military for refusing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. “At the request of a covered individual during the two years following the date of the involuntary separation of the covered individual, the secretary concerned shall consider reinstating such covered individual,” the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act states. The official who considers the request is the secretary in charge of the branch of which the former member who makes the request was a part. Branches include the Air Force and the Navy....