The US Army has reenlisted more than 23 soldiers who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine after the Pentagon mandated the vaccine in 2021. The action follows an order by President Trump to rehire affected troops and provide back pay; the vaccine mandate was dropped in 2023 and service members were allowed to rejoin from then on, but back pay was not included. At that time, just 113 of the about 8,200 troops who had been discharged chose to reenlist. Following Trump's new order, three soldiers have rejoined active duty, while more than 20 have returned to the National Guard or the Reserve, the AP reports.
Trump said soon after taking office that the vaccine mandate cost the military "some of our best people" and vowed to "rehire every patriot who was fired," but ultimately, the Pentagon said that any wages earned during their time away from the armed forces would be deducted from the back pay they will receive. Other military branches, including the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy, are reaching out to former troops via websites, emails, and calls, though none have completed reenlistments yet, the Independent reports. Hundreds of other service members, however, are said to have expressed interest in the program, and at least 100 soldiers are reportedly in the application process to rejoin the Army. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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