Duval Times

Rep. John Rutherford has called for the reinstatement of U.S. servicemembers who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, nearly three years after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mandated vaccination for all military personnel. The mandate, supported by President Joe Biden, led to the discharge of over 8,000 servicemembers.

"It concerned me then — and concerns me now — that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate forced servicemembers to choose between their love of country and their sincerely held religious beliefs," Rutherford stated. He emphasized that these individuals have endured ongoing consequences from losing their careers and benefits.

The vaccine mandate was officially ended on January 10, 2023, following Congress's intervention through the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Last year, further steps were taken with the passage of the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA to correct personnel files of those discharged so they could receive full retirement benefits.

Despite these legislative actions, Rutherford expressed frustration that discharged servicemembers are still waiting for resolution. "Secretary Austin must be held accountable for correcting our troops’ personnel files as Congress directed," he said.

Rutherford highlighted a broader issue facing military recruitment and retention. He noted that last year marked the first time since 1999 that the U.S. Air Force failed to meet its recruitment goals, leading to a reduction in planned troop totals by 8,000 for 2025.

"Our military is clearly struggling to enlist Americans ready to fight for our country," Rutherford warned. He contrasted this with China's rapid military expansion under Chairman Xi Jinping's "Made in China 2025" campaign, which aims to surpass U.S. capabilities across various domains including nuclear and aerospace technology.

"China is the world’s largest maritime fighting force with 234 warships to our 219," he said, stressing that China's ambitions pose a significant threat to global stability and U.S. interests.

To address these challenges, Rutherford introduced the Reinstate Our Troops Act, which mandates reinstatement of all servicemembers discharged over vaccine refusal. The Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA further requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop a strategy for recruiting these individuals back into service.

"I implore the Department of Defense to do everything possible to swiftly reinstate every man and woman discharged from our armed forces over a vaccine," Rutherford urged.

He concluded by emphasizing the need for reversing policies that have weakened military readiness: "If we want to be No. 1 in the world, we must help our military rise to the occasion."