Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed Friday that troops who were forced out of the military over the Biden COVID-19 vaccine mandate have an extra year in which to return to service.
Hegseth confirmed the “upgrade to our efforts to reinstate those service members who are unjustly forced out of the military during the COVID 19 panic.” And just in case some patriotic service members were hanging back from accepting the offer out of concern that the next administration would be Democrat and make more unreasonable demands on them, the service commitment for return is now reduced to only two years.
UPDATE ON COVID-19 REINSTATEMENTS.
We are extending the Department’s “reinstatement and return to service” guidance by an ADDITIONAL YEAR, allowing our Warriors of Conscience to return through April 1, 2027.
We will continue correcting the wrongs of the Biden administration. pic.twitter.com/nOyxzd29tC
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) March 20, 2026
Since the COVID-19 vaccines were experimental and had not even undergone proper testing, let alone official approval, there was every reason for hundreds of service members to request exemptions from the Biden administration mandate. But the Biden administration was much more interested in having a military that would obey any order, no matter how outrageous, than in actually protecting service members from COVID-19 — or protecting our country from foreign threats.
All that changed under the Trump administration. While stating he was “proud of our efforts over the past year,” Hegseth said, “our obligations to make things right are not yet complete.” Hence, the Department of War will now extend an extra year from the original end date of April 2026 so that former troops can still take advantage of the offer to resume their military uniforms.
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These “warriors of conscience” can rejoin up through April 1, 2027. Hegseth explained, “Maybe you were waiting to see whether we meant it or not. We do. We hope you’ll take a look.”
Hegseth also explained another update he thinks will appeal to former troops considering a return. “To further encourage the return of experienced and dedicated service members, effective immediately, the active service obligation for individuals returning to service under this guidance is now reduced from four years to two years,” he said. “And this change reflects our confidence that returning members will make an immediate and positive impact, and aligns our reinstatement policy with the needs of both the service members and the military services.”
The secretary acknowledged that service members who were forced out during the Biden administration are not irrational for being cautious about getting burned again. “Maybe for some four years felt like too much, given what had been done to them, we hope two entices warriors of conscience to come back. This modification will be incorporated into all future reinstatement agreements,” he said.
Even more significantly, Hegseth clarified:
And this policy change also applies to those service members who have already been reinstated and committed to a four year service obligation. So it’s across the board. And given this policy modification and to ensure that everyone whose career was cut short under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate receives the respect they deserve, I direct the Secretaries of the Military Departments, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, within 60 days, to once again recontact those who have not rejoined already, and inform them of this new information and this new opportunity. We are working hard every single day. It’s our commitment to you to right the wrongs and correct the injustices of the Biden administration.
At a time when there are so many countries hostile to the United States and we are in open conflict with the terrorist Iranian regime, we need soldiers of conscience to wear the uniform.
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