{"id":2426932,"date":"2025-04-24T12:18:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T16:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseth-aims-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-covid-shot-mandate\/"},"modified":"2025-04-24T12:20:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T16:20:36","slug":"hegseth-aims-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-covid-shot-mandate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseth-aims-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-covid-shot-mandate\/","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth Aims To Reenlist Troops Booted Over Covid Shot Mandate"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhegseth-aims-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-covid-shot-mandate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2426932&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memorandum aimed at expediting the reenlistment of troops who were discharged due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate implemented during the Biden administration. In a video declaration,hegseth emphasized the urgency of reinstating affected <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">service members<\/a>,stating that the Pentagon is providing new guidance to review their disenrollment cases. The directives aim to facilitate the removal of negative actions related to vaccine refusal and provide remedies for career setbacks caused by the mandate. This initiative follows <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">previous executive orders aimed<\/a> at reinstating discharged members wiht back pay and benefits. The deadline for these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nearly-1000-troops-discharged-over-biden-administrations-vaccine-mandate\/\" title=\"Nearly 1,000 ... Discharged over ...&#039;s Vaccine ...\">discharged troops<\/a> to pursue reinstatement is set for April 1, 2026, with initial efforts already underway to welcome some back into service.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:250423-D-FN350-1102_(54471586926).jpg\">Madelyn Keech\/U.S. Secretary of Defense\/Wikimedia Commons<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/24\/hegseth-orders-additional-guidance-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-bidens-unlawful-covid-shot-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Hegseth%20Orders%20Additional%20Guidance%20To%20Reenlist%20Troops%20Booted%20Over%20Biden%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98Unlawful%E2%80%99%20Covid%20Shot%20Mandate&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/24\/hegseth-orders-additional-guidance-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-bidens-unlawful-covid-shot-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Hegseth%20Orders%20Additional%20Guidance%20To%20Reenlist%20Troops%20Booted%20Over%20Biden%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98Unlawful%E2%80%99%20Covid%20Shot%20Mandate&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/24\/hegseth-orders-additional-guidance-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-bidens-unlawful-covid-shot-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/24\/hegseth-orders-additional-guidance-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-bidens-unlawful-covid-shot-mandate\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Hegseth%20Orders%20Additional%20Guidance%20To%20Reenlist%20Troops%20Booted%20Over%20Biden%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98Unlawful%E2%80%99%20Covid%20Shot%20Mandate&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/24\/hegseth-orders-additional-guidance-to-reenlist-troops-booted-over-bidens-unlawful-covid-shot-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum on Wednesday ordering additional guidance be provided to Pentagon officials to fast-track the reenlistment of troops forced out due to the service&rsquo;s Biden-era Covid shot mandate. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re doing everything we can, as quickly as we can, to reinstate those who were affected by that policy,&rdquo; Hegseth said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SecDef\/status\/1915164433157968186\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video message<\/a> announcing the new directives.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1516227513\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2025\/Apr\/23\/2003696408\/-1\/-1\/1\/PROVIDING-SUPPLEMENTAL-REMEDIES-FOR-SERVICE-MEMBERS-AND-VETERANS-NEGATIVELY-IMPACTED-BY-THE-DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE-DEFUNCT-CORONAVIRUS-DISEASE-2019-VACCINATION.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wednesday memo<\/a> directs the Pentagon&rsquo;s under secretary for personnel and readiness &ldquo;to provide additional guidance to the Military Department Review Boards concerning the review of requests from Service members and former Service members adversely impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The goal of these new instructions, according to the directive, is to &ldquo;facilitate, as appropriate, the removal of adverse actions based solely on refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine (or requesting a medical or religious\/administrative accommodation), discharge upgrades for individuals involuntarily separated solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine whose service was characterized as less than fully honorable, and appropriate remedies for Service members who suffered a wide variety of other career setbacks resulting from their principled refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The &ldquo;unfair, overbroad, and unnecessary&rdquo; Covid jab mandate was <a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2021\/Aug\/25\/2002838826\/-1\/-1\/0\/Memorandum-for-mandatory-coronavirus-disease-2019-vaccination-of-department-of-defense-service-members.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> by Biden Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August 2021. While it was ultimately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/national-news\/articles\/2023-01-10\/pentagon-formally-rescinds-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-for-troops\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">repealed<\/a> following an act of Congress in early 2023, the damage was already done. More than 8,700 service members were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/pentagon-begins-outreach-reenlist-troops-224232867.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">effectively forced out<\/a>&nbsp;of the military after forgoing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cdc-backtracks-on-covid-guidance-as-damning-studies-mount\/\" title=\"CDC Backtracks on COVID ... as Damning Studies Mount\">experimental shot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Upon taking office, President Trump signed an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/reinstating-service-members-discharged-under-the-militarys-covid-19-vaccination-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">executive order<\/a> enabling service members discharged as a result of the Biden-era mandate to be reinstated, with the ability to &ldquo;revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation.&rdquo; Hegseth subsequently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/Spotlights\/COVID-19-Reinstatement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signed<\/a> a memo in early February to expedite the president&rsquo;s directive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>[[<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/09\/report-trump-admin-ousts-official-who-shepherded-bidens-military-covid-jab-mandate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Report: Trump Admin Ousts Official Who Shepherded Biden&rsquo;s Military Covid Jab Mandate<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In his Wednesday video message, Hegseth acknowledged that the agency&rsquo;s effort to reenlist discharged troops &ldquo;hasn&rsquo;t been perfect,&rdquo; and noted that he and his team are &ldquo;having an ongoing conversation with [these individuals] to get it right.&rdquo; He also disclosed that the Pentagon is &ldquo;working with the White House&rdquo; on the matter.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We want anyone impacted by that vaccine mandate back into the military &mdash; people of conscience, warriors of conscience &mdash; back in our formations,&rdquo; Hegseth said.<\/p>\n<p>Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SeanParnellATSD\/status\/1909599016561566160\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revealed<\/a> earlier this month that the agency had begun the process of reaching out to these discharged troops, with a &ldquo;deadline to pursue reinstatement&rdquo; set for April 1, 2026. As of April 10, three affected active-duty Army soldiers had rejoined the service, according to the left-wing <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/military-reenlist-covid-back-pay-army-a9d8560c091da8c04b793114abaf967a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Associated Press<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-american-freedom-convoy-set-to-launch-on-march-1\/\" title=\"Exclusive: \u2018American Freedom Convoy\u2019 Set To Launch On March 1\">state content writer<\/a> for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/biden-administration\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Biden administration<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/covid\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">COVID<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/covid-tyranny\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">covid tyranny<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/covid-vaccine-mandates\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">covid vaccine mandates<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/lloyd-austin\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Lloyd Austin<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/military\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">military<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/pentagon\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Pentagon<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Pete Hegseth<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/service-members\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">service members<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo on Wednesday to expedite the reenlistment of troops discharged due to the COVID vaccine mandate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2426933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pete-Hegseth-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[53998,45173,17755,9689],"class_list":["post-2426932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-covid-mandate","tag-hegseth","tag-reenlistment","tag-troops"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pete-Hegseth-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2426932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2426932"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2426932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2426936,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2426932\/revisions\/2426936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2426933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2426932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2426932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2426932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}