(RightIsRight.co) – Right now, US military operatives must get 17 vaccines, including for smallpox, measles, and the flu, in order to serve in our armed forces. However, with the rise of the Delta variant of COVID-19, President Joe Biden and the Pentagon seem to be considering bumping that up to 18 as soon as they can.
On Thursday, July 29, President Biden announced all federal workers and contractors must show proof of a coronavirus vaccine or be subject to weekly testing, masking, and social-distancing requirements. The same day, Jamal Brown, the Deputy Pentagon press secretary, released a statement noting that the “Department of Defense is moving quickly” to join in the fight against coronavirus.
According to the statement, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will work with doctors and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to decide when to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for all military personnel.
House Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) discussed this announcement with the below tweet, also sharing details of her efforts to address it.
Joe Biden said that he and Sec. Austin are open to mandating the COVID vaccine for our troops BEFORE full FDA approval.
We should never mandate experimental treatments on our troops, which is why I cosponsored @RepThomasMassie’s legislation to stop this before it ever starts!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) July 30, 2021
This announcement comes as President Biden continues to be pressured by his party to increase the percentage of vaccinated Americans in the US. Currently, the number is around 69% and has hovered there for quite some time. Unsurprisingly, many military men and women see mandating the vaccine before full FDA approval as government overreach, and there will likely be some new legal battles as this plays out.
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