Military troops must immediately begin to get the Covid vaccine, Defense Sec. Austin said in a memo Wednesday, ordering service leaders to “impose ambitious timelines for implementation.”
Troops will be able to get their Pfizer shots at their bases and from their commands around the world. The Pentagon has said it has enough vaccine supply to meet demand. Individual service members may also go out and get any of the other Covid vaccines on their own.
Senior military leaders have consistently pressed their forces to get vaccines through a wide range of public pleas, and via social media and other campaigns. But — as is true among the U.S. population — many service members have been reluctant. Guard officials have said all along that it is very difficult to assess how many of their citizen soldiers have gotten a vaccine. And only now will they be able to begin actually tracking the number with more precision as Guard members report to their drill weekends this fall.
“Our vaccination of the Force will save lives,” said the Austin memo. “Thank you for your focus on this critical mission.” There also are administrative exemptions, including one for religious reasons. The religious exemption is granted by the military services based on their policies, and it appears to be relatively rare. The decision is made by commanders based on consultation with medical personnel and chaplains.
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