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The Defense Department will begin requiring active-duty service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting in mid-September or upon FDA approval, whichever comes first.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin Jr. announced in a message to the force on Monday that he would request a waiver from President Joe Biden to make the vaccine mandatory for service members, defense civilians and contractors.
“To defend this nation, we need a healthy and ready force,” Austin said. “I strongly encourage all DoD military and civilian personnel – as well as contractor personnel – to get vaccinated now and for military service members to not wait for the mandate.”
Biden said he strongly supports the decision.
“Secretary Austin and I share an unshakable commitment to making sure our troops have every tool they need to do their jobs as safely as possible,” the president said. “These vaccines will save lives. Period. They are safe. They are effective. Over 350 million shots have been given in the United States alone. “
The U.S. military – and in particular the National Guard – has helped distribute millions of vaccines across every state, territory and the District of Columbia. But Defense Department memorandum have yet to spell out how a mandate may be applied to the Guard, most of which does not serve on federal orders.
On Monday, Defense officials said the services are now planning how to implement a vaccination program, including all components. They said there is no shortage of vaccines.
More than 73% of active duty personnel have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, defense officials said. But those numbers drop once National Guard and Reserve personnel are included.
Leaders of the House Armed Services Committee praised the decision to move toward mandatory vaccinations, reinforcing the belief that the vaccine should not be a political issue.
“A healthy and ready force is needed to confront all the challenges we face. The Department of Defense already requires 17 vaccines to protect members of the military from infectious diseases, including: influenza, measles, mumps, smallpox and diphtheria,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the ranking Republican on the HASC.
“Vaccines protect our men and women, many of whom live in cramped and crowded conditions, from the spread of disease while at home or deployed across the globe. Teleworking isn’t an option for the soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and guardians who work every day to confront near-peer rivals and non-state terrorists.”
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the chairman of the HASC, agreed.
“As the pandemic continues to ravage our communities, and with the rising threat of the delta variant, it is imperative that our service members are protected from this deadly, invisible threat,” he said. “The science is clear: vaccination is the only way to beat this virus. As such, Secretary Austin’s decision to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for our entire force is going to save lives and safeguard our military readiness.”
While the Food and Drug Administration has not yet given final approval for COVID-19 vaccines, that approval could come as soon as the end of the month, officials have said.
And there is precedent for the military requiring a vaccine before FDA approval.
In 1998, the military began its Anthrax vaccination program despite the vaccine not receiving full approval from the FDA until 2002, according to Politico.
In that case, an airman who refused to take the vaccine took his case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, where the program was upheld and the airman, Christopher Washington, was convicted of willfully disobeying a lawful order and sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge and confinement for two months.
Officials have said service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine could be subjected to a range of penalties, from reprimands to being kicked out of the military, according to Politico.
Rogers said the impact of the pandemic has been clear and encouraged Biden to work with the FDA to approve the vaccine as soon as it is safe to do so.
“We have already seen COVID-19 affect our readiness downrange. Our adversaries will take any advantage they can over us. We must not allow COVID-19 to be a hindrance on our force,” he said. “Secretary Austin earlier confirmed that, as of mid-July, over 70% of active-duty troops had received at least one vaccine shot. That is encouraging news and I hope that number reaches 100% quickly.”
Biden said vaccinations will enable service members to stay healthy, better protect their families and ensure the force is ready to operate anywhere in the world.
“We cannot let up in the fight against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant spreading rapidly through unvaccinated populations. We are still on a wartime footing, and every American who is eligible should take immediate steps to get vaccinated right away,” he said. “I am proud that our military women and men will continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they so often do, by setting the example of keeping their fellow Americans safe.”
