According to the Department of the US Army, it will immediately begin separating soldiers from the service who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Those who refuse the vaccine may be separated under the General (Under Honorable Conditions), as the least favorable discharge for refusing the vaccination, unless an additional misconduct warrants separation with an Other than Honorable characterization of service.
The Army is allowing an exception to those soldiers who will complete their separation or retirement, or begin transition leave, on or before July 1. These troops will be granted a temporary exemption and will be permitted to complete their separations or retirements.
The Army is reviewing medical and religious exemptions. Until each is reviewed, soldiers who have filed exemptions are temporarily exempt from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
According to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, Army readiness depends on soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win the nation’s wars. Unvaccinated soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness, she said.
The Army is the last branch of US military service to implement a separation policy for those refusing the vaccination. The policy affects entry level and active-duty members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S Navy, Marine Corp. and Air Force have already begun discharging those refusing the vaccine. The Army reports that service members separated due to refusal of the COVID-19 vaccination order will not be eligible for involuntary separation pay and may be subject to recoupment of any unearned special or incentive pays, such as enlistment bonuses.
More Like this
Last modified: February 3, 2022