Following the announcement that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full approval from federal regulators, the Pentagon announced that they are moving forward with a plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all U.S. service members.
The Pentagon “is prepared to issue updated guidance requiring all service members to be vaccinated,” spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday, adding that “a timeline for vaccination completion will be provided in the coming days.”
“The health of the force is, as always, our military or civilian employees, families and communities, is a top priority,” Kirby continued. “So it’s important to remind everyone that these efforts ensure the safety of our servicemembers and promote the readiness of our force, not to mention the health and safety of the communities around the country in which we live.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said earlier this month that the Defense Department would mandate COVID vaccines following the FDA approval, or by mid-September, whichever came first.
“To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force,” Austin said in a memo to members of the armed forces.
President Biden wrote in a statement at the time that he “strongly” supported Austin’s decision to mandate vaccines for the military.
“Secretary Austin and I share an unshakable commitment to making sure our troops have every tool they need to do their jobs as safely as possible,” Biden wrote. “These vaccines will save lives. Period. They are safe. They are effective. Over 350 million shots have been given in the United States alone.”
“Being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world,’ the president said, adding: “I am proud that our military women and men will continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they so often do, by setting the example of keeping their fellow Americans safe.”
A recent poll conducted by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Americans supported vaccine mandates for members of the military, as well as for hospital or other health care workers and government employees, as well as for air travel and crowded events.
