Some Troops Who Refused COVID Vaccine Could Still Face Punishment, Defense Officials Say

Department of Defense (DoD) leaders defended actions that mandated the COVID-19 vaccine and led to the dismissal of approximately 8,000 troops, while Republican lawmakers questioned the impact on military readiness and national defense during a House Armed Services Committee’s personnel subcommittee hearing on Feb. 28.
More than 2 million troops – 96 percent of the entire force – are considered fully vaccinated, according to DoD statistics.
The DoD has said that about 16,000 individuals refused the vaccine mandate without requesting an exemption or accommodation. As a result, around 8,400 were separated from service.
“The Department of Defense and the military services took bold, necessary steps to protect the force and its ability to operate in response to this new threat,” said Undersecretary of Defense Gilbert Cisneros Jr….}