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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin regarding military discharges for service members who did not receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Reports show that more than 1,700 servicemembers have been discharged for their vaccination status, and many are being denied retirement or other service benefits as a result.
“While we are deeply troubled that the Department of Defense (DOD) is discharging U.S. military personnel as a result of their COVID-19 vaccination status, we are outraged that these brave men and women are potentially being stripped of various benefits, including education benefits afforded to them under the G.I. Bill,” the senators wrote. “Whatever disagreements public officials of varying ideologies and political parties may have, we can and should agree on the importance of ensuring the promises made to members of our Armed Forces are fulfilled.”
Click here for a full list of signers.
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Secretary Austin,
As you know from your decades of service in the United States Army, there are few callings more worthy of respect and admiration than that of those who make the decision to join the Armed Forces for the sake of our country and fellow citizens. Individuals who take such an endeavor upon themselves and carry out their duties in good faith deserve a great deal from a grateful nation. While we are deeply troubled that the Department of Defense (DOD) is discharging U.S. military personnel as a result of their COVID-19 vaccination status, we are outraged that these brave men and women are potentially being stripped of various benefits, including education benefits afforded to them under the G.I. Bill. Whatever disagreements public officials of varying ideologies and political parties may have, we can and should agree on the importance of ensuring the promises made to members of our Armed Forces are fulfilled.
News sources indicate that branches of the U.S. military have continued issuing discharges on the basis of COVID-19 vaccination status, with the total number of discharged personnel already exceeding 1,700. In light of this information, we request answers to the following questions:
1. How many service members, in total and within each individual branch, have been discharged due to choosing to not be vaccinated against COVID-19?
2. What standards of evaluation are generally and specifically made that require a service member to receive a general discharge rather than an honorable discharge in the event they are not vaccinated against COVID-19?
3. The first military discharges due to COVID-19 vaccination status were issued prior to the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, which prevents the issuing of dishonorable discharges based on COVID-19 vaccination status. During the period of time prior to the signing of this legislation, did any service member receive a dishonorable discharge because they were unable or unwilling to be vaccinated against COVID-19?
4. What benefits are service members denied when they are issued a general discharge versus an honorable discharge due to choosing to not be vaccinated against COVID-19?
5. Are service members that are issued a general discharge or an honorable discharge due to choosing to not be vaccinated against COVID-19 required to pay back any DOD benefits previously received?
6. What uniform standards has the DOD established under which members may be exempted from receiving an otherwise mandated COVID–19 vaccine for administrative, medical, or religious reasons?
7. How exactly has the DOD considered the effects of natural immunity to COVID-19 in setting medical standards, as well as whether a service member is approaching retirement when setting the administration exemption standards, and how have those considerations been implemented?
We appreciate your willingness to respond to our questions on this vital issue, and for the sake of those who made the commitment to defend our country, we ask that you provide the requested information by May 12, 2022.
Sincerely,