Trump’s Order to Reinstate With Back Pay Isn’t Enough for Many Service Members Ousted Over Vax Mandate
President Donald Trump recently signed a series of executive orders for the military, addressing transgenderism, diversity, COVID-19 and more.
One of them offers to reinstate service members forced out of the military as a result of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s now-rescinded August 2021 vaccine mandate.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will be tasked with ensuring both active and reserve components of the military who request reinstatement will be restored to their prior rank and provided back pay and benefits.
Fox News recently reported that, according to a White House fact sheet, “After the vaccine mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of the more than the 8,000 troops dismissed elected to return to service under the Biden Administration and Secretary Austin.”
According to Trump’s EO, “Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue.” For many, it’s a big step in the right direction, but is it enough to persuade former members of the military to return to service? This writer has personally spoken to hundreds of service members over the past three years who desire accountability for the military’s unlawful enforcement of the shot mandate. (Read more from “Trump’s Order to Reinstate With Back Pay Isn’t Enough for Many Service Members Ousted Over Vax Mandate” HERE)
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
