Pentagon repeals COVID-19 vaccination mandate for military

The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, issued a memorandum regarding the COVID-19 vaccination policy for members of the Armed Forces on January 10th.
Austin repealed the August 24, 2021 memorandum mandating that members of the Armed Forces under DoD authority be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The memorandum of November 30, 2021, regarding the vaccination of National Guard and Reserve personnel, was also repealed.
The memorandum notes that “the Department will continue to promote and encourage COVID-19 vaccination for all Service members. Vaccination enhances operational readiness and protects the force.”
In addition to ending efforts to discharge troops who refuse the vaccine, the memorandum states that “those who sought exemptions and were denied will have their records updated and any letters of reprimand will be removed.”
The Pentagon’s vaccine efforts, he said, “will leave a lasting legacy in the many lives we saved, the world-class force we have been able to field, and the high level of readiness we have maintained, amidst difficult public health conditions.”