Pete Hegseth wants to reinstate, with pay and rank, troops kicked out for refusing vaccine
If Pete Hegseth becomes Secretary of Defense, he will begin the process of correcting the wrong done to troops kicked out for refusing the COVID-19 Vaccine. During the first day of his confirmation hearing, Hegseth mentioned the fact that troops were kicked out of the military due to their refusal to take an experimental vaccine. He declared that these troops would receive an apology and be reinstated and re-instituted with pay and rank.
From Air Force Times:
During comments at his confirmation hearing Tuesday, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth vowed to reinstate and reimburse troops dismissed from the ranks for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine years ago.
The surprise statement came amid unrelated questions about Hegseth’s views towards diversity and discrimination policies in the military. Hegseth, who previously served in the National Guard, said past Pentagon policies requiring the vaccine amounted to its own form of religious discrimination.
“Tens of thousands of service members were kicked out because of an experimental vaccine,” Hegseth said. “They will be apologized to. They will be reinstated, reinstituted with pay and rank.”
Defense Department leaders mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for all troops from August 2021 to January 2023, with limited exceptions for medical issues or religious objections. About 8,000 troops were forced out of the service for refusing the order.
That number represents less than half of 1% of the total military end strength. But in the years since the mandate was lifted, conservative lawmakers have accused Defense Department officials of severely impacting force readiness with the dismissals and called for those individuals to be allowed to return to the ranks.
Additional Reading:
Shane III, L. (2025, January 14). Hegseth promises to reinstate, repay troops who refused COVID vaccine. Air Force Times. Link.
Category: COVID-19 vaccine, Military issues
Pete needs to be kicked out of the incoming administration; he’s such a failure!
Good thought, but they’re going under the assumption those members WANT to come back. The government already said “fuck you” once…why would they come back?
Those fired for vax issues were afforded the opportunity to start over as if they were just any broken service retread. I’ll have to check the numbers but of the several thousand vax dischargees only a handful have opted for this, less than a dozen.
Re-instate with rank on a par with contemporaries, back pay and allowances and an expunged record MAY entice some back into the fold.
I took the anthrax vaccine shots, which was also “experimental” at the time. I did it because it was a lawful order. I would have rather not had those golf balls injected into my arms, but hey, that’s the way it was. Guess since the COVID vaccine was deemed to be a “political culture war” point by some it’s OK to not get it. Sorry, my waaah meter needle doesn’t move for these clowns. Go get your anthrax golf balls injected into your arms and come back and cry.
I refused said vaccine outright and just prior to boarding my flight at the final pre mob check stations. I was threatened with court martial. I simply did not believe the order was lawful. Turns out, it was not. I guess they needed infantry leaders in the field more than they needed to vaccinate me. I do not regret my decision. I do not question it. It was a calculated risk that was my decision to make. Just my view. I respect anyone else’s on the subject. I DO NOT do experimental.
Same. They ‘shot roster’ is more theory than practical application. Never got a smallpox shot prior to AFG, didnt take the Doxy for malaria, dodged a flu shot my last 5-6 odd years on active duty. Been retired 8 years and work for the county. VA still tries to push the Covid vax, pneumonia shot, and flu shot….I tell them I work for the county and can get it…then I tell the county I can get it at the VA.
Never said I was GOING TO…just said I COULD.
RG, which vaccine did you not take prior to boarding your flight – Anthrax or COVID? If Anthrax and going to OEF / OIF you didn’t deploy with your unit because of a shot? Really? IF COVID, whatever, social warrior what you want to social warrior.
If we kick service members out for “fraudulent enlistment”, it only seems reasonable that we reinstate them after “fraudulent discharge”. I just don’t see many takers on this though.
At least it is going to be offered for them to come back. It will be up to those former service members to accept it or not.
The Clot Shot was never about control of the “virus”. It was always about control of We, The People. Change my mind…I’ll wait.
Somehow I don’t see a flood of these troops coming back. Burn me once…shame on you. Burn me twice…shame on me.
The They had to justify the grift by mandating some hocus-pocus experimental bullshit that has {checks notes} zero longterm efficacy for a virus that killed {checks notes} just about no one.
Who in their right mind would want to stick around or go running back?
No one I’d want with access to a MBT!
But hey, that’s just me I guess.
Fuck me once bad on you.
Fuck me twice bad on me.
Fuck me three times and you’re just enjoying it.
By that time, theyre just using my tears as lube.
I have an article that says on 43 of the 8,000 service members tried to get back in after the WuFlu vaccine mandates were lifted. Now that DJT is the CIC again, I wonder how many would actually want back in? The article is from 2023 during Biden Regime, so I can see why the number is so low. I don’t think bring those service members back would have much impact on the military overall. It would right-a-wrong, and allow those who want to return a do-over. I support SECDEF Pete’s proposal.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/politics/us-military-covid-vaccine/index.html
^THIS^ Right the wrong and send a signal. Don’t know what their current status is but reclass as a Honorable Discharge if they received a medical or anything less as well.
Contrary to some opinions, I think it would matter a lot to our overall military culture, bringing back those who did not and would not cave to the woke status quo. Just imagine, SSgt. Upright comes back in and everyone above and below him who shakes in their bunks is telling on themselves.
Good.
If they are reinstated to full rank, time and service and need less than four years to retire it may be a good idea. If they require more time and needing a GOP to win in 28, not so much
I said the same thing earlier today. Those 15-18 year people who were just trying to ride out the string…it might appeal to them. Others? Not so much
Those that didn’t reenlist? Those that retired early? Those denied promotions? Those denied career progression positions? Etc.
One of soon to be SecDef Pete’s best moments at his confirmation hearing.
VIRAL MOMENT: Pete Hegseth’s Response To Elizabeth Warren Makes Many In Confirmation Hearing Laugh
She definitely had the fake indian in the headlights look after he said that.
Saw that yesterday, or early this morning. Too funny when mere “commoners” put our supposed “betters” in their place, and do so effortlessly.
Apparently, this was her first exposure to the quick wit of someone with a military background.
Hegseth has tact and patience by the boatload.
And on a related note…
I just read Ernst says she will now vote to confirm Hegseth. It looks like Pete will be confirmed by the Senate.
If so, I wonder how many of the people pictured above will leave voluntarily or after being voluntold.
The dog face aviator retired early last year. Man in a skirt gets the boot next week. The same for Gen Austin. I don’t know the identity of the dog mask in blue.
Something to keep in mind.
“[T]hirteen (13) step entrance and a thirteen (13) knot rope swing.” h/t2 Reb
Agreed.
Hang him up by his nut hairs.
Has the order they refused to comply with ever been revoked?
They’re gonna need a bigger tube…
I want my f*cking freedom back, dude.
And I want tears from those who robbed me/us.
SecDef Hegseth seems to be a step in the right direction to accomplish this. And besides. Fk’m. Recess appointment his ass if those dickbags in Congo-ress refuse to play nice.
That tube ain’t gonna be big enough.
Remember this classic?
This just released, might be my new favorite…
🥹🤣🫡
It took some real doing, but I was able to find a way to download this and then upload it to Imgur.
Hopefully, you guys can open this link. It’s an MP4 12 second video.
Pete Hegseth getting attacked by Senate witches
https://imgur.com/a/2CA5K5P
OK after many gyrations again, I was able to upload it to Tube if yooooo….
Let’s see if this link works
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qwd0EXwmvs8
All right because it’s listed as a “short”, and doesn’t show in the box here as a regular tube of you video because it’s only 12 seconds long
You have to be related to pete hegseth to subject yourself to that 3 times. Kudos to you for your efforts.
LMAO, that shit never gets old!
Not sure there would be any takers without any guarantee to allow enlisted to retain their original date of rank or lineal number. I anticipate those who were separated have done well for themselves and moved on with their lives.
It will take awhile to sort out the messes left by the FJB administration (i.e., ignoring quality of life issues, failed missions, and foreign policy to name a few.)
Time will tell if enlistment and retention issues will be resolved as well
Will food become available in the chow halls again?