End Military Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate Now!

The military's Covid-19 vaccine mandate is contributing to a looming national security crisis. The mandate is hindering U.S. military recruitment, retention, and readiness. The Covid-19 vaccines pose unjustifiable risks that outweigh meager benefits. It’s time to end the military mandate, now!

On August 23, 2021, the FDA approved and licensed the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine under the trade name, Comirnaty. That same day, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, issued the official military Covid-19 vaccine mandate, directing “the Secretaries of the Military Departments to immediately begin full vaccination of all members of the Armed Forces under DoD authority on active duty or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Those with previous COVID-19 infection are not considered fully vaccinated.” The order continued, “Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 will only use COVID-19 vaccines that receive full licensure from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in accordance with FDA-approved labeling and guidance.”

More than one year later, the harmful effects of the Biden administration’s military Covid-19 vaccine mandate are clear: enforcement is hindering troop recruitment, retention, and readiness.

Today, the US military is facing its most severe staffing crisis since the advent of its all-volunteer forces in 1973. Every U.S. military branch struggled to meet its fiscal year 2022 recruiting goals. The US Army fell short by 25% -- about 15,000 soldiers officials confirmed. Other branches also struggled to recruit, resorting to various enticements including huge signing bonuses and even lowering entry standards for physical health and intellectual capacity. In a statement to Congress, Marine General Ottignon said, “FY22 has proved to be arguably the most challenging year in recruiting history.” The vaccine mandate, if not the cause, is certainly contributing to this crisis.

Retention has also been undermined. Members of the military who refuse the vaccine face severe consequences, including dishonorable discharge and even court martial. Few medical or religious exemptions have been granted, and even those may soon be revoked. As a result, new recruits face coercion to get the vaccine, sometimes against their religious or personal beliefs, and with knowledge of the proven risks to their health. This environment is thrusting tens of thousands of skilled military personnel out of the ranks. Another 20,000 trained and often highly skilled service members face imminent discharge in the coming weeks.

Troop readiness is undermined not only by failed recruitment and retention, but also by the proven rise in serious medical conditions across all branches of the military since introducing the Covid-19 vaccines. The DoD medical database (DMED) is just one point of reference signaling vaccine harms. The rising number of injuries after Covid vaccination as reported on the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) also continues to sound the alarms. The military’s Covid vaccine mandate undermines military readiness with each case of vaccine injury among our armed forces. Risking the health of our troops is unjustified.

The risk/benefit calculation of the Covid-19 vaccines calls for ending the military mandate, now. Individuals in our armed forces are among the fittest and healthiest Americans, with extremely low risk from severe Covid. Furthermore, the virus itself has evolved into a mild-to-moderate illness for the vast majority of people – and we have proven safe treatments to mitigate those symptoms. FDA experts agree that the Covid vaccines do not prevent mild-to-moderate disease, and they do not prevent transmitting the virus to others. The CDC reflects this in its new guidance treating vaccinated and unvaccinated people identically in terms of testing & quarantine requirements. Mandating healthy service men and women to take a product with little benefit and proven risks – including heart and neurological damage – can no longer be justified. In the words of Secretary Austin, “Mandatory vaccination of Service members will be subject to any identified contraindications,” and those contraindications have now become abundantly clear.

[Why is this happening and what does this mean for national security and American war readiness in the face of an unstable global environment? ] edit

Please take action to end the military mandate, now!