Up to 40,000 Army National Guard troops across the country, or approximately 13%, have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. As the deadline approaches, at least 14,000 have refused shots and could be expelled from the service.
Guard soldiers can get the vaccine up to Thursday. The Associated Press has found that between 20% and 30% of Guard soldiers in six states have not been vaccinated. More than 10% are still required in 43 states.
Guard leaders claim that states are making every effort to encourage soldiers to be vaccinated within the prescribed time. They also said that they would work with the approximately 7,000 people who requested exemptions. These exemptions are almost entirely religious.
We will give every soldier every chance to be vaccinated, and allow them to continue their military careers. In an interview with the Associated Press, Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen said that every soldier who is awaiting an exemption will be supported through the process. "Until the separation paperwork has been signed and completed, we won't give up on anyone. There is still time.
Last year, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered that all active-duty service personnel, National Guard and Reserves, get the vaccine. He stated that it was essential for maintaining the health and readiness the force. There were varying deadlines for military services, but the Army National Guard received the longest time because of its large number of soldiers, with 330,000, scattered across the country.
The Army Guard has the lowest vaccine percentage of any U.S. military unit. All active-duty Army, Navy and Marine Corps have 97% or more, while the Air Guard is at around 94%. The Army reported Friday that 90% or more of Army Reserve troops were fully or partially vaccinated.
According to the Pentagon, Guard members will not be paid by federal government after June 30 if they are activated under federal status. This includes their monthly drill weekends as well as their two-week annual training period. Guard troops deployed on federal status to the southern border and COVID-19 missions in different states would also need to be vaccinated.
Guard soldiers who are on state-activated duty may not need to be vaccinated. This is based on their state's requirements. They can still be paid by the state as long as they are in state duty status and they can also be used for state missions.
Austin was formally asked by at least seven governors to reconsider or suspend the mandate to administer vaccines to National Guard members. Some also filed or signed onto lawsuits. Austin refused to answer the governors and stated that the coronavirus "takes out our service members from the fight, temporarily, or permanently" and compromises our ability to fulfill mission requirements. Austin stated that Guard troops should either receive the vaccine or lose Guard status.
Jensen and Maj. General Jill Faris (director of the Guard's Office of the Joint Surgeon Gen) said that they are working closely with states adjutants to obtain progress updates. This includes information on nearly 20,000 troops who have not submitted any exemption requests and are refusing flat refusals. They suggested that some may be due to a delay in self-reporting while others could still be undecided.
Jensen stated, "Part of those undefined is our soldiers who say, Well, I have till 30 June, so I'll take until 30 June."
Others might have made promises to bring in paperwork for vaccines, but have not yet done so. Others are still on the list, but have not yet reported to basic training. They don't need to be vaccinated until then. It is not known how many people are included in each category.
Jensen acknowledged the fact that, if current numbers are maintained, there are concerns over Guard readiness in the States, including the potential impact on Guard units that are preparing for deployment.
Jensen stated, "When you look at, 40,000 soldiers potentially in that unvaccinated group, absolutely there are readiness implications on that, and concerns associated with it." "That's quite a lot."
According to data from the AP, approximately 85% of Army Guard soldiers have been fully vaccinated. Officials stated that 87% of those who received one shot were at least partially vaccinated.
In all cases, the Guard soldiers in the United States are vaccinated at a higher level than the general population. Only New Jersey has a lower percentage of Guard soldiers vaccinated than the overall population. This was only as of the beginning of this month.
All three U.S. territories, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have over 90% of their soldiers fully immunized. With nearly 97% of the population, Hawaii has the highest, and Oklahoma with just 70%, is the least.
The states' guard leaders have implemented special shot programs and given as much information to their troops as possible in order to keep them on their job.
They set up small teams in Tennessee's east, west, and central regions. Each month, they provided vaccines to troops who requested them. Guard members could also make appointments to receive shots in the middle Tennessee area, in Smyrna, every Wednesday. They also called all the soldiers who had refused to receive the vaccine in June.
Army Guard Col. Keith Evans said, "We held an enormous, mass event." "All of our medical providers were present. We had all our information and could provide all the necessary information to answer any questions, misinformation or misconceptions.
Evans is the commander of the Army Guard's medical readiness command. He said that they had other leaders who could explain what would happen to soldiers who didn't get the shot or who might be able to help them.
Evans stated, "We wanted them to know the benefits they have earned because these soldiers had served their country and had done their time."
Officials believe that the information campaign is working. Jensen stated that approximately 1,500 soldiers per week are being vaccinated in the country. "We anticipate, as we near the deadline, that there will be some additional growth."
