Madison Clarke
The U.S. military has various requirements for joining, including age limits, a high school diploma or GED, and passing a physical fitness test. Each branch sets its own standards, and some medical conditions may disqualify applicants. The Department of Defense (DoD) previously mandated COVID-19 vaccination for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve, but dropped this requirement in January 2023. While the DoD already required 17 other vaccines, such as influenza and measles, the COVID-19 vaccine mandate led to resistance and disciplinary actions, with some Marines discharged for non-compliance. Now, discharged Marines who refused the COVID-19 vaccine are being encouraged to reenlist, with financial incentives and back pay offered.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vaccination Requirements | The Department of Defense has made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for service members. However, service members can request to opt out on health, administrative, or religious grounds. |
| COVID-19 Vaccination Rates | As of 2021, more than 1.4 million service members were fully vaccinated, while about 315,000 were partially vaccinated. |
| Refusal Consequences | Refusal to vaccinate may result in discipline or discharge from the military. Cadets at the Air Force Academy may not graduate or be commissioned as military officers if they refuse the vaccine. |
| Marine Corps Vaccination Rates | As of recent data, more than 2,100 Marines have been discharged from the Marine Corps for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. |
| Marine Corps Opt-Out Approvals | The Marine Corps has approved seven religious exemption requests as of recent data. |
| Recruitment Process | The recruitment process for the Marines includes an initial screening, a physical fitness test, and the ASVAB test. |
| Eligibility Criteria | Eligibility criteria for the Marines include being a U.S. citizen, being between the ages of 17 and 28, meeting physical and educational standards, and passing the ASVAB test. |
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What You'll Learn
- COVID-19 vaccine refusal led to discharge from the Marines
- The Marine Corps has a low vaccination rate compared to other services
- Members can be exempt from vaccination on medical, religious, or administrative grounds
- The Marine Corps has reached out to discharged members to encourage reenlistment
- The vaccination mandate was dropped in January 2023
COVID-19 vaccine refusal led to discharge from the Marines
The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the US Armed Forces was issued on August 24, 2021, following the approval of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine by the FDA. The mandate required the "immediate full vaccination of all members of the Armed Forces under DoD authority on active duty or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard".
However, a significant number of Marines refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, according to some sources, nearly 40% of Marines declined to be vaccinated. This led to several service members filing federal lawsuits against the Biden administration, citing religious objections to the vaccine.
One notable case is that of former Marine Catherine Arnett, who was discharged and court-martialed for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine in 2022. Arnett's request for a religious exemption was denied, and she was notified that she faced administrative separation. She refused to leave her duty station in Japan, which led to her arrest and eventual discharge.
The vaccine mandate was ultimately rescinded on January 10, 2023, by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. However, the rescission did not change the fact that many Marines had already been discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
It is important to note that the discharge characterizations for service members who refused the vaccination varied between different branches of the military. While the Navy gave all its personnel who refused the vaccination an Honorable discharge, the Marine Corps separated 78% of its personnel with a General, Under Honorable Conditions characterization.
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The Marine Corps has a low vaccination rate compared to other services
There could be several reasons for the low vaccination rate in the Marine Corps. One reason could be that the Marine Corps has a culture of individualism and freedom of choice. Some Marines may feel that it is their personal decision whether or not to get vaccinated, and they may not want to be forced to do so by the government or the military. Additionally, some Marines may have medical conditions or religious beliefs that prevent them from getting vaccinated.
Another factor contributing to the low vaccination rate in the Marine Corps could be a lack of trust in the vaccine or the government. Some Marines may be concerned about the potential side effects of the vaccine, especially since it is still relatively new. There may also be a perception that the risks of COVID-19 are not as severe for young, healthy individuals, which could make some Marines feel that the benefits of the vaccine do not outweigh the risks.
It's important to note that the low vaccination rate in the Marine Corps has potential consequences for both individual Marines and the Corps as a whole. Unvaccinated Marines may be at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, which could lead to serious illness or even death. Additionally, the spread of COVID-19 within the Marine Corps could impact its operational readiness and ability to carry out its missions.
To address the low vaccination rate, the Marine Corps and the Department of Defense have taken several steps. These include educating Marines about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, offering incentives for getting vaccinated, and implementing disciplinary measures for those who refuse the vaccine without an approved exemption. However, it is ultimately up to individual Marines to make the choice to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their fellow service members.
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Members can be exempt from vaccination on medical, religious, or administrative grounds
The US military has specific requirements for joining, and each branch sets its own standards for enlisting. For example, you must have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED) to enlist, and a degree from a four-year college to join as an officer. A medical exam is also required as part of the enlistment process, and each branch has its own physical fitness standards.
In terms of vaccinations, the Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated that all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve, receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This mandate was announced in August 2021 and has since been dropped as of January 2023. The DoD also requires several other vaccines, such as influenza, measles, mumps, smallpox, and diphtheria, to protect members from infectious diseases.
While the COVID-19 vaccine mandate led to some service members refusing to get vaccinated, members can be exempt from vaccination on medical, religious, or administrative grounds. These exemptions can be temporary or permanent, and service members must request them. However, refusing to get vaccinated without an approved exemption can lead to discipline or discharge from the military.
In the case of the US Marines, there has been a notable resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. As of February 2022, over 200 Marines had been discharged from service due to their refusal to take the vaccine, and thousands of exemption requests were denied. The Marine Corps has since been reaching out to discharged members to see if they want to reenlist, with some financial incentives offered.
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The Marine Corps has reached out to discharged members to encourage reenlistment
As of 2021, it was a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to join the Marines. However, in 2025, the Marine Corps reached out to discharged members who were forced out or voluntarily left due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate to encourage them to reenlist.
The Defense Department instructed the military services to contact these individuals to see if they would like to reenlist, with the Marine Corps setting up a dedicated team to send emails and text messages to those discharged. As of mid-February, 553 Marines had responded, with 455 expressing interest or having additional questions and 98 stating they were not interested.
While the vaccine mandate contributed to the discharge of some Marines, it is important to note that there are other requirements for joining the military in general and the Marines specifically. These include age limits, physical fitness standards, and educational requirements, such as a high school diploma or a GED. Each branch has its own specific standards, and a medical exam is also part of the enlistment process.
The effort to encourage discharged Marines to reenlist is likely driven by the recognition that the vaccine mandate may have resulted in the loss of valuable personnel. President Trump, for instance, argued that the mandate cost the military "some of our best people," and he vowed to "rehire every patriot who was fired."
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The vaccination mandate was dropped in January 2023
The US military mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for a period of 15 months, from August 2021 to January 2023. This mandate was rescinded in January 2023 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. This marked the first time in US military history that a vaccine mandate was reversed.
The vaccine mandate was dropped due to pressure from Republicans, who argued that it hurt military recruiting and retention efforts. They claimed that the mandate created a retention issue, but the Defense Department countered that all military services had surpassed their retention goals for the first 10 months of the 2023 fiscal year.
Since the repeal of the mandate, only 12 service members have rejoined the Marines, according to service spokespeople. This number is even smaller for the Air Force and Navy, with only one and two members rejoining, respectively.
The vaccination mandate was a controversial issue, and its drop in January 2023 was a significant development in the ongoing debate surrounding vaccine requirements for the US military.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in August 2021, the Pentagon announced that it would require all service members to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
No, refusing to get vaccinated can result in discipline or discharge from the Marines.
Service members can request to opt out of a mandatory vaccination on health, administrative, or religious grounds. These exemptions can be temporary or permanent.
The Department of Defense (DoD) administers 17 different vaccines to service members to protect them from infectious diseases, including influenza, measles, mumps, smallpox, and diphtheria.
Yes, discharged troops have been allowed to rejoin since 2023. However, they will have to go through the enlistment procedure again, which includes passing all legal, moral, and physical fitness requirements, and agreeing to reenlist for at least two years.
