WASHINGTON - The Army said Wednesday that it will begin discharging soldiers who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it remains critical to maintaining a healthy, ready force.It’s the latest move from branches of the U.S.
military tasked with enforcing the Pentagon’s vaccine order for all service members, which was issued in August. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining combat readiness.
The Army's new order applies to regular Army soldiers, active-duty reserve-component soldiers and cadets, unless they have an approved or pending exemption.
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth echoed Austin’s sentiments that unvaccinated soldiers present a "risk to the force and jeopardize readiness.""Army readiness depends on Soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars," Wormuth said in a statement.The Army, which is the U.S.