The Steady Drip: Pentagon Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine for US Troops (DOD)

Pentagon Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine for US Troops (DOD)

9 Aug 2021

Military.com | By Patricia Kime

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/08/09/pentagon-requiring-covid-19-vaccine-us-troops.html

Updated at 4:09 p.m. Eastern

The Defense Department will require U.S. troops to get COVID-19 vaccines starting mid-September or as soon as the Food and Drug Administration approves it -- "whichever comes first," according to a memo released Monday by the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in the memo to troops that he would not "hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if I feel the need to do so" should the need arise with increasing cases attributed to the Delta variant.

"I will seek the President's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon [approval by the Food and Drug Administration,] whichever comes first," he added.

News of the memo was first reported by The Associated Press.

Austin said the department will spend the next several weeks "preparing for the transition."

"I have every confidence that Service leadership and your commanders will implement this new vaccination program with professionalism, skill, and compassion. We will have more to say about this as implementation plans are fully developed," he wrote.

The decision comes a week after President Joe Biden told defense officials to develop a plan requiring troops to get vaccinated -- part of his broader campaign to require vaccinations among the federal workforce.

Since the vaccines were authorized by the FDA under emergency use, they have been voluntary for all service members. Military officials have maintained since last November -- before the vaccines had even been approved under an emergency use authorization -- that they would remain voluntary for personnel until the FDA issued formal approval.

But that was seven months before the highly contagious Delta variant began sweeping across the country, increasing case numbers and upping the likelihood that other, possibly more virulent, mutations could occur, according to Johns Hopkins University medical experts.

After months of declining coronavirus infections in U.S. troops -- 6,006 cases in May and 6,574 cases in June, according to the DoD -- cases soared to more than 11,200 in July.

Shortly after Austin's memo was released Monday, Biden issued a statement praising the decision, saying the country is on a "wartime footing" against the virus.

"We cannot let up in the fight against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant spreading rapidly through unvaccinated populations," Biden said.

In a briefing with reporters Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said there's no evidence that vaccine refusal is a widespread problem in the military.

"Members of the military understand when you sign up for the military, that there are requirements laid upon you," he said. "Some of those requirements include being healthy and fit and ready to serve. Some of that depends on our requirement to make sure you're fit and healthy, through inoculation and vaccination."

Kirby said individual cases in which service members refuse to get vaccinated will likely be handled at the command level.

Vaccine holdouts have expressed a number of reasons why they have yet to get the shots.

A senior airman stationed in Georgia who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he has not had the shots because he has concerns about the messenger RNA technology used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, a new technique to elicit an immune response. The vaccines are the first to use the technology after 30 years of research.

"Once FDA approves it, you know, I'm all for it," the airman said. "I go out, and I wear my mask. ... I don't think COVID is something that should be downplayed. I will have no problem taking the vaccine. It's just not FDA approved yet."

He added that he also is concerned that the Department of Veterans Affairs would not be required to provide health care or disability compensation to those who received it on a voluntary basis, should the vaccine cause long-term health effects.

"Let's say somewhere down the road, we come down with some disability because of something that was caused by the vaccine. That's not to say it will happen, but if it does, and come back to the VA, they're gonna be like, 'Well, it was voluntary at the time -- you got it under your own free will,'" he said.

Once service members are officially required to get the vaccine, Kirby said, their status will be tracked in their electronic medical records, along with other inoculations.

But details on exactly what the new policy will mean for service members are still scarce and will be laid out in an upcoming order.

The Pentagon believes the services have enough vaccine doses on hand to inoculate everyone, Kirby said.

The services will have to periodically report to Austin on how well the vaccination effort is going, Kirby said, but how that will work still has yet to be determined.

The exact number of active-duty personnel who have received the vaccine has not been released.

Kirby said Monday about 73% of the active-duty force has received at least one vaccine shot, and roughly 62% are fully vaccinated.

According to Defense Department data released last week, the numbers are lower across the services when including the Reserve and National Guard forces, with 50% of all U.S. troops fully vaccinated and another 11% with at least one dose.

More than 212,000 military personnel have contracted COVID-19, giving them natural immunity to reinfection for at least eight months, according to research -- a common reason some say they don't need the vaccine.

However, immune responses differ in individuals, and vaccines evoke a stronger, more universal response, which scientists say could protect people longer than natural immunity alone, according to research published in June in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Concern about the Defense Department's previous handling of the anthrax vaccine rollout also is cited by hesitant service members as a reason for not wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The DoD launched a mandatory anthrax vaccine program in 1998 using an immunization that had been authorized under emergency use. Nearly immediately, troops reported side effects, including fever and chills, nausea and body aches.

The airman cited the anthrax vaccine program as one of the reasons service members are concerned about the vaccine. He described Austin's decision as a "bad move on his part ... given that already too many people in the military really don't trust their government."

But, he added, he now will get his shot.

"I have it in writing that it was mandatory," he said.

In his memo, Austin recommended that troops just go ahead and get their vaccines.

"I strongly encourage all DoD military and civilian personnel -- as well as contractor personnel -- to get vaccinated now and for military Service members to not wait for the mandate," he wrote.

Connecting the Dots:

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Air Force was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Army was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

John A. Nagl was a lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army and is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security.

Dell L. Dailey was a lieutenant general for the U.S. Army and is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Coast Guard was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Marine Corps was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Gregory S. Newbold was a lieutenant general for the U.S. Marine Corps and a director at the Center for a New American Security.

Arnold L. Punaro was a major general for the U.S. Marine Corps and is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security.

John R. Allen was a general for the U.S. Marine Corps and is a director at the Center for a New American Security.

Albright Group LLC was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Albright Group LLC is a merged company with the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Richard R. Verma was a counselor for the Albright Stonebridge Group and an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Robert Jeffrey is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a board member for the CDC Foundation.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Herbert M. Allison Jr. was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an officer for the U.S. Navy.

Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and

Charles R. Larson was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an admiral for the U.S. Navy.

Sean O'Keefe is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was the secretary for the U.S. Navy.

Norman W. Ray was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a vice admiral for the U.S. Navy.

R. James Woolsey was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and the undersecretary for the U.S. Navy.

Michael P.C. Carns was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a general for the U.S. Air Force.

John A. Gordon is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general for the U.S. Air Force.

Richard L. Lawson is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general for the U.S. Air Force.

Joseph W. Ralston is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general for the U.S. Air Force.

Brent Scowcroft is the interim chairman; for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was the lieutenant general for the U.S. Air Force.

Charles F. Wald is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general for the U.S. Air Force.

Chuck Hagel was the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a sergeant in the U.S. Army and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense for the Barack Obama administration.

Eric K. Shinseki was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a general in the U.S. Army and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Togo D. West Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and the secretary for the U.S. Army.

Daniel W. Christman was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army.

Wesley K. Clark is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

George A. Joulwan is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

Barry R. McCaffrey was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a general in the U.S. Army.

Robert W. RisCassi was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a general in the U.S. Army.

Carl E. Vuono is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

Anthony C. Zinni is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Carlton W. Fulford Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Arnold L. Punaro is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a major general in the U.S. Marine Corps.

James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) was the supreme allied commander – Europe for NATO, the commander, U.S. European Command for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a general in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Chuck Hagel is the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and was the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Richard L. Armitage was the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Harold Brown was the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is an honorary director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Frank C. Carlucci was the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is an honorary director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Henry E. Catto was the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the chair emeritus for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Edwin Dorn was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Eric S. Edelman was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Jacques S. Gansler was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Stephen J. Hadley was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Paul G. Kaminski was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Zalmay Khalilzad was the assistant deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Franklin D. Kramer was the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Judith A. Miller was the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Philip A. Odeen was the deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Sean O'Keefe was the comptroller & CFO for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Walter B. Slocombe was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James R. Schlesinger was the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William H. Taft IV was the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Togo D. West Jr. was the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Dov S. Zakheim was the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William J. Perry was the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is an honorary director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Robert S. McNamara was the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) an honorary director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James L. Jones Jr. was the commander, U.S. European Command for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Chas. W. Freeman Jr. was the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Air Force was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Army was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Coast Guard was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Marine Corps was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Albright Group LLC was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Albright Group LLC is a merged company with the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Madeleine K. Albright was the founder of the Albright Group LLC, a co-chairman for the Albright Stonebridge Group, a director at the Center for a New American Security, an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the president of the Center for National Policy.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman National Security Project, a director at the Center for National Policy and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Center for National Policy and the vice president for the Joseph R. Biden Jr Administration.

Tammy Duckworth is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Center for National Policy and was the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Gabrielle Giffords is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Center for National Policy and a co-founder for the Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Americans for Responsible Solutions is a “Gun Safety, Gun Control” PAC for guns.

William J. Perry is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Center for National Policy and a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Margaret A. Hamburg is the VP for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), was the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Donald Kennedy was a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Mark B. McClellan was a commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

David M. Rubenstein is a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a trustee at Johns Hopkins University.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle and a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP.

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is a lobby firm for Pfizer Inc.

Constance J. Horner is a director at Pfizer Inc. and was a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Suzanne Nora Johnson is a director at Pfizer Inc. and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Amy W. Schulman is the EVP & general counsel for Pfizer Inc. and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Duberstein Group, Inc. is a lobby firm for Pfizer Inc.

Kenneth M. Duberstein is the chairman & CEO for the Duberstein Group, Inc. and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Susan E. Rice was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the former U.S. ambassador for the United Nations and a friend of Madeleine K. Albright.

Madeleine K. Albright was a friend of Susan E. Rice, the founder of the Albright Group LLC, a co-chairman for the Albright Stonebridge Group, a director at the Center for a New American Security and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a director at the Armed Forces Benefit Association, was and the commander, U.S. European Command at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for the Barack Obama administration.

Roget C. Schultz is a director at the Armed Forces Benefit Association and was a director at the

Army National Guard.

Robert Jeffrey is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a board member for the CDC Foundation.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Air Force was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Army was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

John A. Nagl is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security and was a lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army.

Dell L. Dailey is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security and was a lieutenant general for the U.S. Army.

U.S. Coast Guard was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

U.S. Marine Corps was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Gregory S. Newbold was a director at the Center for a New American Security and a lieutenant general for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Arnold L. Punaro is an advisory board member for the Center for a New American Security and was a major general for the U.S. Marine Corps.

John R. Allen is a director at the Center for a New American Security and was a general for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Albright Group LLC was a contributor for the Center for a New American Security.

Albright Group LLC is a merged company with the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and the Human Rights Watch.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch.

Robert Jeffrey is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a board member for the CDC Foundation.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Amy Robbins Towers is a board member for the CDC Foundation and a director at the Human Rights Watch.

Joanne Leedom-Ackerman was a director at the Human Rights Watch and a trustee at Johns Hopkins University.

David M. Rubenstein is a trustee at Johns Hopkins University and was a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is an emeritus trustee at Johns Hopkins University and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Sarah Brown O'Hagan is an overseer & director at the International Rescue Committee and a trustee at Johns Hopkins University.

Madeleine K. Albright was a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Robert Jeffrey is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a board member for the CDC Foundation.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Resources: Past Research

Navy SEALs Tell Congressman They Don’t Have Enough Rifles To Go Around (Past Research on the Military & the Center for a New American Security)

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/03/navy-seals-tell-congressman-they-dont.html

Madeleine Albright, 1st Female US Secretary of State, Dies at 84 (Connecting Her Dots In The Soros Network) (Past Research on Madeleine Albright)

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/03/madeleine-albright-1st-female-us.html

Hagel calls for review of US nuclear force (Past Research on the U.S. Navy & the U.S. Air Force)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/01/hagel-calls-for-review-of-us-nuclear.html

Jade Helm 15: Controversial military exercise starts Wednesday (Past Research on the U.S. Army)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/09/jade-helm-15-controversial-military.html

Joe Biden: Ban ‘Civilian Ownership’ Of ‘Assault Weapons’ (Past Research on Hunter Biden & Kamala Harris)

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/06/joe-biden-ban-civilian-ownership-of.html

FDA Fails to Protect Americans from Dangerous Drugs and Unsafe Foods (Past Research on the FDA)

SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/05/fda-fails-to-protect-americans-from.html

FORMER PFIZER EMPLOYEE: "CHECKMATE. GAME OVER. WE WIN" (“Connecting the Dots”) (Past Research on Pfizer)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2021/08/former-pfizer-employee-checkmate-game_26.html

The CDC: A Truly Corrupt and Dangerous Organization (Past Research on the CDC)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-cdc-truly-corrupt-and-dangerous.html

Veterans Affairs Secretary Expresses ‘Regret’ For Disneyland Comments (Past Research on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/05/veterans-affairs-secretary-expresses.html

Bobby Jindal Calls for Louisiana National Guard to Arm Personnel to Protect Military Facilities (Past Research on the Armed Forces Benefit Association & the Army National Guard)

SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/07/bobby-jindal-calls-for-louisiana.html

Dr. Ben Carson: President Should Be ‘Sworn in on a Stack of Bibles, Not a Koran’ (Past Research on the Johns Hopkins University)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/09/dr-ben-carson-president-should-be-sworn.html