U.S. News
Air Force Pleads: Return, Troops Ousted Over COVID-19 Vax!
Clear Facts
- The U.S. Air Force sent a letter to a former airman, who was discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, offering a chance to re-enter the service.
- Similar letters were sent to approximately 1,900 former Army soldiers discharged for the same reason.
- Both the Army and Air Force missed recruiting goals for the fiscal year 2023, facing a severe recruiting crisis.
The U.S. Air Force sent out a letter to a former airman who was discharged from the service due to refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, informing them of an opportunity to rejoin the service. This letter mirrors similar ones sent to former Army service members, according to a copy of one Air Force letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
A former Air Force service member received the letter on Sunday, which was addressed with the recipient’s name. The letter informed former airmen that they could request to have their service records amended to show that they received honorable discharges and seek reentry into the service amidst the service’s failure to meet recruiting goals.
The letter reads, “Our records indicate you separated from military service as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the Armed Forces, which was rescinded by the Secretary of Defense on January 10, 2023 and by the Secretary of the Air Force on January 23, 2023.” It continues, “Should you desire to request consideration of a correction to your personnel records, including records regarding the characterization of your discharge, you may submit a request to the Air Force Discharge Review Board or the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records.”
The letter then recommended Air Force veterans wishing to rejoin the active service to contact a local recruiter. It could not be determined exactly how many letters were sent or in what window of time, and the Air Force did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
The Air Force letter mirrors similar notices sent to U.S. Army soldiers discharged for the same reason. The Army sent out approximately 1,900 letters to former soldiers discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusal, a spokesperson confirmed to the DCNF.
Between February 2022 and January 2023, when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin officially rescinded the vaccine mandate, the Army discharged 1,903 active duty soldiers for refusing the vaccine, according to Maj. Shahin Uddin, an Army spokesperson. Uddin confirmed the Army letter, which first circulated on social media, as authentic to the DCNF. It was the first time the Army directly reached out to the former soldiers by sending letters, he said.
“It is too early to determine as the letters were only recently sent out,” Uddin said, referring to the letters’ success in bringing former soldiers back into active service. Only 19 of those separated for vaccine refusal have rejoined as of Sept. 9. “However this is part of the overall COVID mandate recession process mandated by Congress,” Uddin said.
Both the Army and Air Force missed recruiting goals for the fiscal year 2023 in what has become the worst recruiting crisis since the institution of the all-volunteer military.
Congress mandated the Pentagon to overturn the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the 2023 defense bill but did not include remedies for service members discharged or in the process of seeking exemptions. Army policy from February confirms that the option for former soldiers to seek corrections to their service records.
Service officials said petitions would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the time in testimony to Congress.
In a February hearing, Department of Defense (DOD) and service officials said those who had been kicked out from the military could seek to have their service records upgraded, making them eligible for certain post-service benefits not available to people with other than honorable discharges.
“For those that have already separated and would still like to, for example, update their file, they would have to go through the Discharge Review Board,” then-Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz-Jones told the House Armed Services Committee in February.
Air Force veterans who received general discharges instead of honorable ones and want to reenter the service would likewise have to petition for their discharge characterization to be upgraded, she said. “And once they were able to do that, if they do that successfully, then they can talk to a recruiter, assuming they met accession standards, would be able to apply to come back in.” Ortiz-Jones said 610 airmen were separated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Gilbert Cisneros, the former DOD official in charge of personnel, told Congress troops had been kicked out for “refusing a lawful order.”
Clear Thoughts
The desperate U.S. Air Force and Army, missing their recruiting goals, now beg former service members discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusal to return. This humiliating backtrack exposes the absurdity of the original mandate and its detrimental impact on our military’s strength. The vaccine mandate, now rescinded, has left our armed forces scrambling to rebuild. This is a lesson in the consequences of government overreach and the importance of personal freedom. Let us remember this debacle as an example of the damage caused by misguided policies that put ideology over national security.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
David
November 27, 2023 at 6:46 am
Poor guys(girls) in the military have always been used as a science experiment. In a thanks for your service in fighting for your country. You will mosy likely develop cancer thanks to the sv40 we’ve secretly put into all the poison, I mean “vaccines.” Hopefully none will return. They will secretly put it in their food or something.
Bobby
November 27, 2023 at 7:00 am
If I were them I would DEMAND that they amend my records, give me full back pay and reimburse me for any medical expenses I incurred plus clear up my credit records if my credit was affected because of the discharge. Plus I would demand they sign an agreement to NEVER EVER for me to take another jab against my will nor use me for any experiments and lastly they would also have to guarantee me that I would not be forced to feed into their woke transgender agenda. Basically make it like it never happened and preclude me from future dumb shit and social experiments.
STAN
November 27, 2023 at 8:08 am
HOW ABOUT ADDING A 1 UPGRADE IN RANK FOR ALL THE HEARTACHE THE SERVICE HAS CAUSED THE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILY. MAKE THEM PAY FOR THEIR STUPIDITY IN DISCHARGING THEM WITHOUT CAUSE.
Robert Norton Warner
November 28, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Bobby, Tell us how you really feel. You know that they won’t agree to all these terms. However, I do agree with you. I am a U.S. Air Force veteran. If I had been in the Air Force then, I might not agree to getting the COVID shot, and the shit would hit the fan.
Jay
November 27, 2023 at 7:09 am
the US Airforce want us back – No thank you – they are not longer trustworthy …
Joe
November 27, 2023 at 8:01 am
No way, the woke military will put it in your food or find some way to poison you. WHY should any of these folks play this stupid game? They want you to crawl back, no apology. They cannot be trusted.
Burlin Wright
November 27, 2023 at 8:54 am
The gov’t did the dirty work against a volunteer in the US Armed Services, key word “volunteer”, just think what they would do if you were not a volunteer but a drafted person. If they really want you back, let them clean your records, let them fix anything that you may have suffered as a result of their wokeism. Make amends to the original contract that you signed up for, back pay, advancement in Rank, all of it. Congress should never consider an all volunteer Service something to be trifled with. They know better. Even if they do this and more, its your choice to return. Remember, their will be those above you who will try and make you pay for it, keep ledgers, taped recordings. Defense of our nation will also require you to defend against it also. Our gov’t doesn’t always do the right thing, due to politics, and often individuals doing their own thing, its not right, nothing is perfect. Remember, they waited forty years before they owned up to any part of Agent Orange.
Frank
November 27, 2023 at 9:25 am
No wonder we are in our worse recruiting crisis since 1973. When our young people are told that our country was founded by our racist Founding Fathers and that we remain a racist homophobic society. No wonder our young people don’t want to sign up to defend a country that they are told is not worth defending. Who unless they are desperate for a job would want to join our woke military and risk being sent to Ukraine or some other shit hole. Forcing vaccines on these young people was the beginning of the end for our all Volunteer military.
Orion
November 27, 2023 at 9:57 am
Not only did the DOD enhance the distrust of our government they weakened the strength of our defense. They continue to by in to the woke, racial and sexual bs. Not surprised at the recruiting problems. My 30 years in the Navy ended before this disgusting nonsense and the Navy I knew was the best, most respectful non-political and unifying experience of my life. Today it is a disgusting devisive organization. God help us.
Colleen
November 27, 2023 at 11:11 am
Amen to all the comments above. They deserved better, and our twisted government and that disgraceful Fauci led the charge. Fauci needs to pay for his crimes against we the people, and government should pay the price for discharging these brave country loving folks. I’m proud of our military always have been.
Will
November 27, 2023 at 11:16 am
It’s quite obvious that there are some people who DIDN’T THINK THIS THROUGH, and it is THEIR actions and word that are coming back to ‘bit them in the ass’. OOPS!
ROY S. MALLMANN II
November 27, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Every one of them in all of the services should be returned as if nothing had happened and that part of their service records showing separation because of refusal to take the jab, should be expunged. They should get credi for the time as to future promotions, etc!
Michael Godwin
November 27, 2023 at 9:27 pm
Those service members who were forced out of the military over the Covid vax mandate shouldn’t have to submit anything to have their discharge upgraded. The government made the mandate, and it should have never done so. The military needs to fix the problem it caused. Send these troops updated DD214’s and discharge certificates. Along with a letter of apology. Then offer the individuals the opportunity to return to the military service with loss of time in service and all back pay and benefits. To the pentagon consider it a small price to pay for a valuable lesson learned.
Eldon Tolan
January 21, 2024 at 9:01 am
AMEN to that! With the fools running this country, we’re lucky to have a military to defend us.
SFC Leon Amer US Army Retired
November 29, 2023 at 2:06 pm
Not until every single person involved in enforcing that heinous vax mandate has been court-martialed and locked into solitary at Leavenworth, to include Biden and all the Secretary’s, and video of this runs on every network in the country 24/7 for a month straight! How can the CinC be exempt from the UCMJ but nobody else? He is NOT a KING!
gman
March 15, 2024 at 3:13 pm
So you can’t get your record cleared unless you re-enlist? Am I reading this right?