(RightIsRight.co) – Our military men and women put their lives on the line every day to ensure our nation is safe and our families have a future. In addition to rigorous physical testing, servicemen and women also have to receive 9 time-tested and FDA-approved vaccines in order to serve, with members traveling abroad often receiving up to 17 shots. In a bold move, the Department of Defense just announced they will be adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of mandatory vaccines.
On Monday, August 9, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that all US troops must get the first shot of a coronavirus vaccine by mid-September, although he hopes to move that date up if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the Pfizer vaccine earlier.
The Associated Press was among the first to report the news:
BREAKING: The Pentagon will require members of the U.S. military to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15, according to a memo obtained by the AP. https://t.co/7pi7RTnHqD
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 9, 2021
Austin used military readiness as the reasoning for mandating the vaccine, declaring that our nation needs a “healthy and ready force.” However, it’s likely many troops will retire or quit, not wanting to comply with the new mandate. If this happens, it could leave our national security readiness in a precarious spot.
With nearly all members being young, healthy and in relatively great physical shape, it seems that the number of members who could experience a short-term illness from COVID and recover with immunities would be significantly less than the number who could retire early or flat out quit, severely impacting readiness.
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