U.S. Army begins to discharge soldiers who refuse COVID-19 vaccination

u.s. army discharges soldiers who refuse vaccination
The first COVID-19 mass vaccination on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii is held on Feb. 9, 2021. The Army says it will "immediately begin separating Soldiers from the service" who refuse to be vaccinated.

Tech. Sgt. Anthony Nelson / Tech. Sgt. Anthony Nelson

U.S. Army soldiers who refuse to be vaccinated for COVID-19 will soon be discharged, the military branch announced Wednesday.

The Army said it will “immediately begin separating Soldiers from the service” who refuse to be vaccinated or who don’t have an approved or pending request for exemption.

“Army readiness depends on Soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars,” said Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth. “Unvaccinated Soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness.”