Army COVID Vets Return to Service
COVID Commando
After Offer of Back Pay, Only 13 COVID Vaccine Refusers Returned to Military Service
By Konstantin Toropin
Months after the Pentagon rolled out a policy aimed at wooing back service members booted from the military over the COVID-19 vaccine, the Pentagon has confirmed that only 13 people — all Army soldiers — have rejoined.
Shortly after coming back to office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that, while short on details, mandated the military reinstate troops who refused the vaccine with “full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation.”
The Pentagon then spent months articulating that order into a policy that was rolled out in April and, while making good on the promise of back pay, it came with some major administrative hurdles and the caveat of yearslong military commitments.
In late April, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth trumpeted the policy, telling a group of troops at the Army War College that those who refused the vaccine were “warriors of conscience” and that “we hope they come back quickly.”
Several days later, the Pentagon’s “Rapid Response” account said that “we have reinstated these vital members with BACKPAY” before proclaiming that “this is the Golden Age for our service members.”
Shunned, shamed, shitcanned and, in a lot of cases, awarded a General discharge out the door for refusing the jab. These folks have moved along with their lives after being forcibly ejected from service and small wonder they are refusing to re-up in droves. The military violated a trust and no amount back-peddling and “hope” will change it. They are not returning and I can find no fault in their decision.
Category: Big Pentagon
“They are not returning and I can find no fault in their decision.”
Word.
Amen
Not to mention some of the constraints on returning, like offsetting civilian earnings against that back pay, and mandatory time commitments which can well exceed what the SM had at the time.
Offsetting civilian earnings is not unique to this instance of backpay. It goes back at least 30 years in practice. A friend of mine with prior enlisted time got passed over to Major and it turns out there was some shenanigans with the process. He was offered a backdated promotion and back pay, His post AF job with Siemens was dedcuted from his back pay
Literally kicked out or forced out thousands with recruitment at records lows. Not one judge said stop.
Kick out nondeployable groomers? Judges falling all over themselves to block.
Missed promotions? Missed schools? Missed command times?
This ain’t a job at Walmart.
I was thinking advancement commensurate with one’s peer group would sweeten the pot, but these numbers are so dismal I doubt that it would make any difference.
Which asks the question of who is returning, and why. Top performers, or the ability to fog a mirror after failing as a civilian. My inner LPO knows the answer.
I wasn’t going to say Cat IVs but I was thinking it.
If I were one of the soldiers affected, I would likely come back only if I were close to retirement.
Too bad I can’t find a shocked face over this news but, alas, that shelf is as barren as my field.
Here you go good sir.
I officially left American Thinker.
They don’t accept my use of an ad blocker, and I am a disturbed asshole that use ad blockers for everything.
So, sayonara, American Thinker. It was great while it lasted.
Poetrooper was the best thing over there.
I still miss him.
I can still read them without ads.
Lately, Firefox has been warning me of certain news sites I
was visiting it’s pissing me off so I don’t bother visiting them.
Advertising works both ways.
Poe was one of a kind.
And everyone said Amen.
I hope their General Discharges will be changed to Honorable. They were indeed honorable GIs.