In a landmark reversal for thousands of impacted troops, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth officially declared the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate unlawful on April 24, 2025, directing the Pentagon to begin reversing disciplinary actions taken under the prior administration’s policy.
This announcement follows President Donald Trump’s January 27, 2025 Executive Order mandating the reinstatement of military service members who were discharged or penalized for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine [Executive Order No. 14099, 90 Fed. Reg. 4211 (2025)].
“We all know that the previous administration issued unlawful orders on mandatory vaccines on an experimental vaccine,” Hegseth said in a public video address. “We want anyone impacted by that vaccine mandate back into the military—people of conscience, warriors of conscience—back in our formations.” — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef on X April 23, 2025)
What This Means for Discharged or Demoted Service Members
Secretary Hegseth has instructed the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to coordinate with all Military Department Review Boards to take immediate corrective actions. These include:
- Removal of Adverse Actions related solely to vaccine refusal
- Discharge Upgrades for veterans who were separated
- Reinstatement of Careers that were derailed by disciplinary measures
- Review of Denied Accommodations—medical, religious, or administrative
This marks a formal acknowledgment that prior disciplinary actions were not only improper but illegal because of the forced use of an unlicensed product (“experimental” in Hegseth’s words, which is also correct).
You May Be Entitled to Back Pay and Legal Compensation
MilitaryBackPay.com is the single source for completing opt-in to these class actions, and our attorneys are actively helping former and current service members pursue justice through coordinated legal action.
If you were:
- Discharged, demoted, or denied promotion
- Forcibly retired or barred from reenlistment
- Refused an accommodation request
You may be entitled to financial compensation, reinstatement of benefits, and correction of military records.
You do not need to reenlist.
You do not need to wait for the Pentagon to act.
You do not need to stay silent.
What You Can Do Now
MilitaryBackPay.com is facilitating legal action through a secure and confidential opt-in process. If you were affected by the vaccine mandate, take the first step toward compensation and justice:
👉 Submit your eligibility form now
Your service mattered then. It still matters now. With this declaration from Secretary Hegseth, we are closer than ever to restoring the dignity, pay, and recognition that every affected service member deserves.
Sources:
- [Department of Defense Memorandum, April 24, 2025 – Pete Hegseth Statement (Internal Memo Summary)]
- [Executive Order No. 14099 – Reinstatement of Service Members Discharged Under COVID Vaccine Policy (Federal Register, Jan. 2025)]