Congressional Republicans are demanding the Pentagon answer for severe recruitment and retention issues caused by several policies that the lawmakers say amount to a clear “mistreatment” of service members.
Fox News Digital first reported last month that U.S. service members who were fired for refusing to comply with the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate are now being forced to pay back their original recruitment bonuses, which they call a “kick in the face.”
A group of 23 lawmakers led by Rep. Pat Fallon, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Thursday to ask about the “mistreatment” of troops being forced to repay their signing bonuses.
They wrote that the “blame” for the military’s current recruitment and retention problem, which is detrimental to national security, falls on Austin.
“The military is already facing a historic recruiting shortfall and this type of bad policy is only exacerbating the issue,” Fallon, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “We must now end the practice of further punishing individuals by requiring them to pay back enlistment bonuses and work to establish a pathway back to service for anyone who has been affected.”
In a separate letter sent to Austin Wednesday evening, Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., of the House Committee on Armed Services and Chairman Jim Banks, R-Ind., of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel sent over a series of question related to the rescission of the COVID vaccine mandate, saying the Pentagon has failed to provide the committee with adequate responses.
“The Biden administration spent two years dodging my basic questions about their military vaccine mandate and COVID response,” Banks told Fox News Digital. “Now that we have the majority, House Republicans remain committed to holding the Biden DOD accountable for its partisan COVID policy.” . . . (read more on Fox News)
What People Are Saying
“I served from ’86-’92 and would not recommend anyone serve in today’s military. It’s too Woke and heading in the wrong direction.
–“79 – 89. Glad I’m out.
“So how hard would you expect the troops to fight for freedom and liberty, if the Administration purges the ranks of all those that truly appreciate the freedom and liberty our Country is supposed to stand for.
“The way this group is running the Pentagon, no one will ever want to enlist.
“Often had to bite my tongue in 80’s-90’s. Couldn’t imagine serving in today’s woke environment.
“Congratulations! You were right to stand up against the largest propaganda campaign in history. You trusted your gut and did your own research. Your courage saved lives. End Democrat Mandates!
“Dems are out to destroy our military by making sure good people don’t want to join.
“Here we have what was a not fully certified vaccine, essentially minimally tested and studied with many process steps waived so not a fully approved medical requirement that was used to terminate soldiers. I bet if the soldiers in the Tuskegee experiments knew the facts of the studies and had choice they wouldn’t have participated.
“My friend’s son was going to join the Coast Guard recently but was told the covid jab was still required. Therefore, the military will lose another quality hire.
“There’s no way around it. At the time of their orders, the law was on the books to have the vaccine…as it should be…Thousands of military personnel have done their duty and obeyed direct orders..even if those orders were found to erroneous later. Your opinions are issued with your boots, that’s been the military way for centuries. So any penalties you faced at the time were just, and the fact that the ONLY reason the mandate was lifted was political and not medical, move on and deal with YOUR disobeying orders.
–“It was and still isn’t a vaccine. No protection to anyone except the Pharma that created it.
–“Don’t mix up “law” and orders. Nuremberg is that lesson in case you missed it. Congress never passed a bill that the President signed into law mandating Wuhan virus shots.
“These former service members signed a contract and took and oath. They broke both. They should be forced to repay those bonuses.
“Military members are required to take vaccinations. They knew that on signing. They refused for their own beliefs, as such they violated their contracts and oaths. Thus they were fired. Right or wrong they disobeyed a lawful order and were fired. They need to repay that money back to the tax payer.
“Following the science, these men and women made the prudent decision. Younger people have been adversely affected by the jab. We ask our military to follow orders but this was a bridge too far. Follow, but not blindly. Reinstate them and with back pay. It is the right thing to do.
“My son followed in my footsteps and went in the Air Force about two years ago and since he had to get the vaccination, he got Covid three (3) times. So much for the effectiveness of this lame vaccination brought to you by this lame administration.
“Force protection or forced protection…they just need to admit “they” got it wrong just like with Pyridostigmine Bromide Tabs—presumptive medical claims will skyrocket in a decade or so. Don’t really blame the DOD but did our other gov’t entities really follow the science??
–The PB pills caused so many issues in Desert Storm, and were experimental and not FDA approved…US ARMY 1982-1992 Desert Storm Vet,,,54B20J5
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