Army says National Guard, reservists will now be subject to vaccine mandate

The Army announced Friday that members of the National Guard and Reserve forces will have to be in compliance with its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to take part in drills.

The service said members who are not in compliance without an approved or pending exemption cannot participate in federally funded training and will not receive payment or retirement credit. 

The Army National Guard's vaccine deadline was on Thursday.

Secretary of State Lloyd Austin mandated vaccinations for the military in August 2021 but allowed each service branch to set its own deadlines. The deadline for active-component Army personnel was December 15, but reservists and National Guard members were given until June 30.

The service approves on a case-by-case basis exemption requests for medical or religious reasons. In its statement, the Army stated members who refuse the order without an approved or pending exemption will be subject to "adverse administrative actions."

According to the Army, 89% of the National Guard has received one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 87% are fully immunized. The Army Reserve charts 89% of its personnel as having received one vaccine dose as well, and 88% are fully vaccinated.

In the Army's active-duty component branch, 97% of personnel are fully vaccinated. The Army began separating soldiers who had not received the jab back in February, and has separated 1,148 to date.