Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced sweeping reforms to handle the catastrophic fallout from the Biden administration’s illegal COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Talking with the conviction of a frontrunner decided to rebuild belief, Hegseth outlined the Division of Protection’s (DOD) aggressive efforts to reinstate service members and veterans who have been unfairly punished for standing by their ideas.
The Gateway Pundit beforehand reported on navy veterans’ considerations a few new Division of Protection reinstatement kind, which they declare hides the reality about their pressured separations through the COVID-19 vaccine mandate period.
They’re being informed that if they need again in, they have to lie on paper and faux they left the navy of their very own free will.
In response to the shape: “I, [name], attest I voluntarily separated from the (Air) (Area) Drive or allowed my service to lapse quite than be vaccinated underneath the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which was in impact from 24 August 2021 to 10 January 2023. My resolution to separate was made freely and with out coercion.”
The DoD’s response staff instantly issued a press release, stating they’re “reviewing” the matter.
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In a video assertion posted Wednesday, Hegseth supplied an apology “for the way it was carried out, and we need to repair it.”
Efficient instantly, the Division of Protection is scrubbing the information of all troops who have been punished for refusing the experimental jab—a lot of whom have been discharged with less-than-honorable designations that tarnished their careers and minimize off advantages.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth:
We’re again with extra adjustments at DOD, and this time, an replace on COVID-19 and reinstatement. Everyone knows that the earlier administration issued illegal orders on obligatory vaccines—on an experimental vaccine, COVID-19. You recognize it, we all know it.We’re doing the whole lot we are able to, as rapidly as we are able to, to reinstate those that have been affected by that coverage. It hasn’t been excellent, and we all know that. We’re having an ongoing dialog with you to get it proper, working with the White Home as nicely.
We wish anybody impacted by that vaccine mandate again into the navy—individuals of conscience, warriors of conscience—again in our formations. We hear you, and we’re working to get up to date steerage as rapidly as attainable. So here is the place we’re on extra steerage we’re offering proper now.
In January, the President issued his government order. We jumped proper on it. In February, I directed the Division to take corrective motion relating to this particular Division’s unfair, overbroad, and pointless COVID vaccine mandate. We apologize. Apologized then, apologize now for the way it was carried out, and we need to repair it.
So in the present day, I am signing a memorandum that directs the Undersecretary of Protection for Personnel and Readiness to offer further steerage to the boards which might be reviewing these circumstances—regarding the assessment of requests from service members and former service members adversely impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The steerage additionally will facilitate the elimination of opposed actions on service members solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, together with discharge upgrades and less-than-fully-honorable discharges for people separated for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. We’re making an attempt to wash all that, clear all that up.
We’ll additionally facilitate applicable cures for service members who’ve suffered further profession setbacks ensuing from the earlier administration’s illegal vaccine mandate. That unique EO addresses the unfair, since-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed on warfighters through the earlier administration.
We all know how unhealthy it was. You know the way unhealthy it was. And thru this steerage—which I encourage you to take a look at instantly, as a result of it is an replace going even additional than what we’ve carried out up to now—this memo is offering supplemental cures for service members and veterans negatively impacted by the DOD’s defunct COVID-19 illness vaccine mandate.
So, extra steerage right here that we predict is basically essential to getting this proper, and we welcome you all again as rapidly as attainable.
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Constitutional lawyer and retired LTC Inexperienced Beret Ivan Raiklin issued a strong assertion following this announcement from Hegseth.
“Did you simply say “unlawful DOD jab mandate”? Growth. You caught my consideration, sir. I’ve simply upgraded your grade as Secretary of Protection to an A. You need to obtain an A-plus? Convey me in—recall me to energetic obligation—and I’ll gladly, professional bono even, are available in and lead the Nuremberg 2.0 trials,” stated Raiklin.
“The primary defendants that must be addressed are Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley. Why? As a result of they carried out mutiny by eradicating—kicking out, such as you stated—8,700. After which the ten, virtually 100,000 of us that left as a result of we weren’t going to adjust to the DOD jab mandate.”
— Ivan Raiklin (@IvanRaiklin) April 23, 2025
