Covid-19 vaccination is not mandatory in the US military
CREDIT TO J. MARK BREWER ATTORNEY AT LAW.
Public
Advocate
has
learned:
The
Covid-19
vaccination
is
not
mandatory
in
the
US
military
at
the
present
time
as
the
vaccines
are
only
authorized
for
emergency
use
("EUA").
An
official
Army
article
published
on
January
7,
2021
confirms
that
the
Covid-19
vaccination
is
not
mandatory
from
a
draft
advisory
memo:
COPY OF DRAFT ADVISORY MEMO TO ALL ACTIVE DUTY U.S. MILITARY POSTED HERE.
"The vaccines are currently only approved for emergency use and are not mandatory for Department of Defense personnel and beneficiaries at this time. However, military health officials are urging prioritized DoD personnel and beneficiaries to get vaccinated to protect their health, their Families, and their community, and lower the public health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic." What you should know about getting the COVID-19 vaccine | Article | The United States Army
The
non-mandatory
nature
of
the
vaccines
is
also
clear
from
a
May
12,
2021
Army
article:
"Almost
half
of
active
duty
Soldiers
have
received
at
least
one
dose
and
over
one-third
are
fully
vaccinated."
U.S.
Army
surpasses
one
million
COVID
vaccines
administered
at
Medical
Treatment
Facilities
|
Article
|
The
United
States
Army
Even
when
past
vaccinations
were
mandatory,
a
service
member
would
not
have
been
subject
to
a
dishonorable
discharge
merely
for
refusing
to
accept
vaccination.
This
is
because
a
dishonorable
discharge
is
only
available
as
a
punishment
upon
conviction
of
a
serious
felony
under
the
Uniform
Code
of
Military
Justice
by
a
general
court
martial.
Further,
it
is
considered
the
equivalent
of
2
years
confinement
and
cannot
be
imposed
administratively
or
at
the
whim
of
one's
commanding
officer.