|
Unless there’s a change of U.S. law, those 313 guardsmen for
Illinois shouldn’t expect back pay.
The Department of Defense late last week disseminated guidance
to the National Guard on rescinding the military’s vaccine
mandate. The move follows congressional approval of ending
Biden’s mandate.
“This guidance … directs all DoD Component heads to formally
rescind any policies, directives, and guidance implementing
those vaccination mandates as soon as possible, if they have not
already done so,” the DoD said in a statement.
A spokesman for the Illinois National Guard Wednesday said to
date one Illinois Air National Guard individual was discharged
by the U.S. Air Force for refusing the vaccine. There were no
discharges from the Illinois National Guard by the U.S. Army.
“Now that the federal COVID-19 policy is rescinded and all
federal administrative actions initiated solely for COVID-19
refusal are rescinded as well, the Illinois National Guard has
reached out to those service members and requested that they
return to weekend training and annual training effective Jan.
10, 2023,” Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Director Brad
Leighton told The Center Square in an email Wednesday.
For the Illinois National Guard’s 13,000 members, 20 airmen and
293 soldiers did not submit an exemption request for religious
or medical reasons and were barred from attending weekend or
annual training between July 1, 2022, and Jan. 9, 2022.
“The U.S. Department of Defense prohibited unvaccinated service
members who were not seeking an exemption from performing duty,”
Leighton said. “Those that submitted exemption requests were
allowed to continue attending training and get paid for that
training until their exemption requests were adjudicated through
the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force.”
How many exemption requests were filed, accepted or denied
wasn’t immediately available.
“With that prohibition now lifted, the Illinois National Guard
is working with these Soldiers and Airmen to return to a
drilling status,” Leighton said. “These individuals will be
welcomed back into our formations with open arms.”
Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for
The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast
experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of
Springfield.
|
|
