Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on "Establishment of the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force" and "Reinstating Service Members Unjustly Discharged Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate" Memorandums

View Online IMMEDIATE RELEASE Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on "Establishment of the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force" and "Reinstating Service Members Unjustly Discharged Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate" Memorandums May 8, 2026 The Department of War continues to take decisive action in support of the many Service members adversely impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Today, Secretary Hegseth established the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force to ensure return-to-service efforts for these warriors are optimized across the force.    He also directed the Secretaries of the Military Departments to ensure their Review Boards evaluate the records of any former Service member who voluntarily left service, and who now requests to return to service through the COVID-19 reinstatement program, to determine whether they were "unjustly discharged." While the Boards will evaluate each case individually based on documented evidence, the Secretary noted that it is appropriate to consider members as unjustly discharged based on evidence showing that adverse actions effectively ended their careers (e.g., letters of reprimand, active or denied vaccine exemption requests, withdrawn assignments, unsatisfactory participation in a Reserve Component, or cancelled enrollments in mandatory Professional Military Education).    The Department continues to welcome back former Service members who were separated solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. As of April 2026, nearly 170 warfighters have been reinstated or re-accessed, and the Military Departments are actively tracking more than 800 additional warriors who have expressed interest in returning to service. Individuals now have until April 1, 2027, to take advantage of Department policies on reinstatement with a two-year service commitment. More information can be found here.      The Department continues to right the wrongs of the past and to restore confidence in, and honor to, our fighting force.    The "Establishment of the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force" memorandum can be found here and the "Reinstating Service Members Unjustly Discharged Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate" memorandum can be found here.

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