Statement on the Restoring Honor to Service Members Separated Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate Memorandum

(DOW Press Release) The Secretary of War recently directed the military departments to proactively review personnel records of service members involuntarily discharged solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and facilitate discharge upgrades as appropriate.

Under the previous administration, the Department involuntarily separated approximately 8,700 Service members for failing to comply with the Department’s since-rescinded COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Of those, more than 3,000 received less than honorable discharge characterizations.

The military departments have been directed to complete their respective proactive reviews within one calendar year. Former service members won’t need to do anything; the Department will look into the potential upgrades on its own.

Any service member or veteran who believes that their records reflect an error or injustice should visit the military review boards website at https://www.milreviewbds.mil for information on how to apply for relief.

Additionally, the Department is eager to welcome those former service members back to service. Individuals will have until April 1, 2026, to take advantage of this reinstatement opportunity.

More information can be found at https://www.war.gov/Spotlights/COVID-19-Reinstatement/.

The Department is committed to ensuring that everyone who should have received a fully honorable discharge receives one and continues to right wrongs and restore confidence in, and honor to our fighting force.

The “Restoring Honor to Service Members Separated Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate” memorandum can be found here.

The “Guidance to Restore Honor to Service Members Separated Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine” memorandum can be found here.

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STARRS Comments:

This sounds nice on the surface but:

• It only addresses those involuntarily separated/fired which is 8700 and of that 3000+ got less than honorable discharges.
• Departments have a calendar year to compete the top down review.
• Does not address the ~90,000 total who left voluntarily.
• Does not include those who objected to DEI and were discharged or left voluntarily.

Either Sec Hegseth does not understand the problem or this is window dressing.