Thousands of service members were dismissed for refusing to get mandated COVID-19 vaccines after the Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all service members in August 2021.
Now, Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, has introduced a bill that would allow service members who were dismissed for vaccine reasons to be reinstated, The Washington Examiner reported.
"My legislation will ensure that our brave men and women in uniform who were unjustly punished because of their personal medical or moral decisions receive the benefits they deserve and have the opportunity to continue serving our great nation," Smith said.
H.R. 7570 would require military leaders to reinstate service members who want to continue their service at the same rank and grade.
"These forced discharges are no way to treat American heroes who sacrifice so much and put their lives on the line to preserve and defend our safety," Smith said.
The bill would also provide protections for those who do not wish to return to service, including honorable discharges and secure G.I. Bill benefits and pensions.
"No one should lose their jobs or pensions because they do not want the COVID vaccine — especially our courageous service members who step up to defend the very freedoms we enjoy," Smith said.
According to the services, at least 30,000 service members are not yet vaccinated, although several thousand of those have obtained temporary or permanent medical or administrative exemptions, CBS News reported. Of the remaining — which is likely 20,000 or more — thousands are navigating the exemptions process or have refused. That's about 1.5% of the approximately 1.3 million active duty troops, according to CBS.
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