The Pentagon has accepted its defeat in the face of increasing resistance against the department’s COVID vaccine mandate and has dropped its military vaccine mandate, thanks to Republicans in the U.S. Senate.
One America News Network (OANN) reported on Tuesday, January 10, that Pentagon has formally dropped its COVID-19 mandate for troops. The mandate was imposed in August 2021 and was used to fire and persecute those military members that refused to take the COVID shots. After many lawsuits and ongoing criticism of the tyrannical nature of the mandate, Pentagon decided last month to call it quits. OANN wrote:
This decision had been expected since December 23rd, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed legislation into law which allowed him 30 days to rescind the mandate.
Military & Intelligence Correspondent at Reuters Phil Stewart posted the memorandum issued by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin whereby the mandate was rescinded. The memo repeated the claims that vaccination is safe and effective and improves the health of the Service Members – though these claims were not substantiated with any independent and verifiable scientific evidence.
Pentagon rescinds COVID vaccine mandate pic.twitter.com/h6X7aoUN0d
— Phil Stewart (@phildstewart) January 10, 2023
What Ended the Military Vaccine Mandate?
Republicans in Congress and Senate demanded the end of the military vaccine mandate for passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – which is worth $858 billion. To secure that money, the Pentagon had to end its policy of forcing the COVID jabs on the troops. Many Republican senators voted with Democrats to pass NDAA after they got the deal for the Democrat-controlled Pentagon to end the military vaccine mandate.
Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado called the end of the mandate a “Huge Victory” adding, “Now, it’s time to make it right for the people whose lives were destroyed by this disgraceful mandate!”
The Pentagon has RESCINDED their COVID vaccine mandate.
This is a HUGE victory.
Now, it’s time to make it right for the people whose lives were destroyed by this disgraceful mandate! pic.twitter.com/M0CKukgSYX
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 10, 2023
Number of Military Members Affected by the Mandate
OANN reported that more than 8, 500 troops were discharged from the military for refusing the COVID shots. Thousands of others, who did not want the shots, applied for medical exemption from the shots. Military members could apply for religious exemption; however most/all of those requests were rejected as reported by The Value Project. Early in 2022, a surge in cancer and other diseases was reported in military members who took the COVID jabs.