Army Turns to New Source for Recruits—Unvaccinated Former Soldiers

‘Developing and employing the skills and talents of prior service members can benefit individual soldiers and the Army,’ new Army guidance stated.

As the military struggles to attract new recruits, the US Army is telling unvaccinated former soldiers who were kicked out for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine that they can potentially rejoin the force.

“Individuals who wish to apply to return to service should contact their local… recruiter,” Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, director of personnel management for the United States Army, wrote in a letter to former Army personnel.

Brig. Gen. Rampy was notifying former members of new guidance that allows soldiers who were discharged for failing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to request that their military records be corrected.

The Army booted 1,903 members for failing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine under the US military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

“Unvaccinated soldiers present a risk to the force and jeopardize readiness,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in 2022, as the first soldiers were discharged.

In recent years, multiple military branches have struggled to attract new recruits.

The Army fell short of its fiscal year 2023 goal by about 10,000 soldiers.

In response, officials changed their recruitment strategy, focusing on college graduates and offering bonuses of up to $50,000. According to the new letter from Brig. Gen. Rampy and associated guidance, the strategy includes attempting to bring back soldiers who were removed for refusing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
According to the guidance referred to in the letter, dated Nov. 7, a number of steps have been taken in recent months under Ms. Wormuth’s direction, including the removal of suspensions relating to soldiers who requested exemptions from the mandate.
Records are being corrected “to remove adverse actions stemming from requests for exemption from vaccination for COVID-19,” according to the guidance, adding that “former soldiers who were involuntarily separated for refusal to receive the vaccination can also request correction of their military records to reflect an honorable, voluntary separation from service.”

“We remain proud of the Army’s response to the pandemic and will continue to encourage vaccination against the COVID-19 variants as the surest way to ensure readiness, protect our members, and guarantee mission success,” according to the guidance issued by the Army.

It went on to say that “our nation faces many challenges, and developing and employing the skills and talents of prior service members can benefit individual soldiers and the Army.”

The shift comes months after the military reluctantly withdrew its mandate, compelled by a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

The bill, however, did not require any action regarding former servicemembers, such as automatically restoring them with back pay.

“We are not currently pursuing back pay for service members who were dismissed for refusing to take the COVID vaccination,” said Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder after the mandate was repealed.

Over 8,000 troops were dismissed across all branches for failing to comply with the mandate. Courts have ruled that some people had their requests for religious exemptions denied by form letters, which violated federal law.

As of November, only 19 of the removed soldiers had returned to the Army, according to an Army spokesman via email to The Epoch Times. A single Air Force member has returned, according to an email from a spokeswoman to The Epoch Times. Other branches did not respond to inquiries.

While all soldiers separated under the mandate received the letters, approximately 210 have requested record corrections, according to an Army spokesman.

‘Too Little, Too Late’

Former Army lieutenant colonel Bradley Miller was among those who received a letter. He stated that his efforts are insufficient.
Giving soldiers a way to have their records corrected “on the surface sounds like a good thing, and maybe to some degree it is, but I think most former soldiers, myself included, just kind of feel like it’s just too little, too late,” he told The Epoch Times.

Mr. Miller was relieved of command in October 2021 and resigned shortly before reaching the 20-year mark, despite forfeiting his pension, because he refused to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

“I never believed the vaccines would ever be safe or do what they were supposed to do.” And as a commander, I certainly didn’t want to order my troops, who might also be hesitant, to take the vaccine,” he explained to American Family News.
Mr. Miller is thinking about requesting a correction to his records, but he’s not sure about applying to rejoin the force.

He believes the low number of personnel who were removed and later rejoined is due to how the servicemembers were treated.

“Even if they were to go back in, their careers have been completely derailed,” said Mr. Miller in a statement.

Members of Congress welcomed the update but expressed concern about how the unvaccinated soldiers were punished in the first place.

“We’re all glad to see the Army is reversing its persecution of soldiers who refused to get the COVID vaccine, but that doesn’t take away the damage this caused to our troops,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said

“The US Army is sending a letter to troops who were discharged for refusing to take the jab, saying they can now apply to have their reasons for discharge changed,” said Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA). “How about restoring them to rank and compensating them with back pay?”