Marines and soldiers discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine show limited interest in rejoining

WASHINGTON — Roughly 650 Marines and Army soldiers who were forced out of the military for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine have so far expressed interest in returning to the force under an executive order from President Donald Trump, officials said this week.

The number represents about 8% of the roughly 8,200 troops who had been discharged. The total, officials say, confirms military leaders’ early view that many troops have moved on with their lives. They have been allowed to rejoin since 2023, and Trump’s offer of providing back pay may be a factor in spurring a bit more interest now.

The Army and Marine Corps have been sending out emails, texts and phone calls to service members discharged for refusing a pandemic-era order to get the vaccine. The Navy and the Air Force are planning to begin their efforts to contact service members, but are waiting for additional guidance. The totals would likely increase once their formal notices go out.

Officials stressed that the numbers are very preliminary because troops have only expressed interest in reenlisting and haven’t actually taken steps to formally do so. They will have to go through the enlistment procedure again, pass all required legal and moral standards and physical fitness requirements, and agree to reenlist for at least two years.

Trump has argued that the vaccine mandate wrongly pushed troops out and suggested that many would return. In an executive order signed a week after he took office, Trump said that the mandate cost the military “some of our best people” and he vowed to “rehire every patriot who was fired from the military with … backpay.”

Under Trump’s directive, those who were discharged for refusing the vaccine can rejoin and get back pay. Those who voluntarily left to avoid the vaccine also can rejoin, but they must swear that they left the service for that reason and they will not receive back pay.

Two years ago, the military services sent out notices to all troops discharged for refusing the vaccine, advising them they could return to the military. Just 113 reenlisted.

As a result of those notices:

— Of the 3,748 Marines discharged, 25 opted to re-enlist.

— Of the 1,903 Army soldiers discharged, 73 returned.

— Of the 1,878 sailors discharged, two returned.

— Of the 671 airmen discharged, 13 returned.

In mid-February, the Defense Department told the military services to reach out once again to service members who were forced out or voluntarily left the military because of the COVID-19 vaccine and see if they want to reenlist. This time it came with the financial incentive.

The Marine Corps set up a special team and has sent emails and text messages to those who were discharged. As of Wednesday, spokesman Jim Edwards said 553 Marines have responded. Of those, 455 expressed some interest in reenlisting or had additional questions about the offer, and 98 said they weren’t interested.

Col. Dave Butler, Army spokesman, said that more than half of the approximately 1,900 soldiers discharged have been contacted either by phone or email. And of those, about 200 have expressed interest in returning to the service.

“The Army has been working hard to get in contact with all of the folks who were discharged due to COVID since the Executive Order was signed,” Butler said. “We’re using all mediums, the contact info we have on record, social media — we even have a hotline someone interested could call.”

The Navy and Air Force said they are waiting for more specific guidance on the process.

According to officials, the services will compile a list of those interested in reenlisting or getting more information and will have to send them all details on what back pay they could receive and how to move forward.

The Pentagon made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory in August 2021 for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said getting the vaccine was critical to maintaining a healthy force prepared to defend the nation.

The Pentagon dropped the mandate in January 2023.