Pentagon reviews Covid vaccine mandate, orders public release of initial report
Washington, July 16 (IANS) The Pentagon has launched a fresh review of its now-defunct Covid vaccine mandate and ordered the eventual public release of an internal report, as the Trump administration moves to rebuild trust with service members discharged under the policy.
The Department of War said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed both an independent review by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and a separate internal review to examine how the vaccine mandate was conceived, coordinated and implemented between January 2020 and January 2023.
“As part of the Department of War’s continuous effort to rebuild trust with Service members discharged under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct an After-Action Review (AAR) capturing lessons learned to improve future policy,” the department said in a statement.
It added that “due to President Trump’s and Secretary Hegseth’s commitment to accountability and transparency, the Department will publicly publish the review’s findings.”
The Pentagon said the internal panel will be convened by the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness and will consist of military and civilian employees. Its task will be to review “the official decisions, coordination, planning, and execution of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate from January 2020 through January 2023.”
“The Department is fully committed to restoring honour and rebuilding trust with the warfighters impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate,” Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata said.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we continue to prioritise reinstatement, deliver remedies, and establish permanent safeguards against future mandates.”
Tata said the department’s latest actions were intended to ensure accountability and transparency.
“The actions detailed in these memorandums reflect our ongoing dedication to transparency and accountability. By having members of the affected community lead the internal after-action review and further analyse how the COVID-19 vaccine mandate influenced decision-making and readiness — and making the findings public — we will ensure that the Department learns from the past and does not repeat these mistakes in the future.”
According to one memorandum signed by Hegseth on July 14, all Department of War component heads must fully cooperate with the review panel by providing official documents, correspondence, interviews and briefings, while also detailing military and civilian personnel to support the effort when requested. The memorandum says the review’s recommendations and findings will be submitted to the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness for “review and appropriate action.”
In a separate memorandum, Hegseth directed each department component to appoint two officials authorised to make routine declassification decisions relating to the report so that it can be prepared for public release. The memorandum states that the After-Action Review report “will be approved for release to the public by February 2027.”
–IANS
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