By Nicole
Acevedo
The US Army is separating from service soldiers who refuse to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth instructed commanders Wednesday to initiate "involuntary administrative separation procedures" against unvaccinated soldiers who do not have an approved or pending waiver application.
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The discharge order applies to regular Army soldiers, active duty reserve component soldiers, and cadets.
"The Army's readiness depends on Soldiers being prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation's wars," Wormuth said in a statement.
Sergeant Travis Snyder, left, receives the first dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine administered at the Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state on December 16, 2020. .Ted S. Warren/AP
"Unvaccinated soldiers present a risk to the force and jeopardize readiness," he added.
Service members discharged during these procedures will not receive an involuntary separation pay and may be required to repay incentive bonuses or other special compensation they received, according to the Army.
Since the Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all service members in August, the vast majority -- 98% -- of active-duty soldiers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
The Army said commanders have relieved six of their leaders, including two battalion commanders, and as of January 26 issued 3,073 written reprimands to general officers and soldiers for refusing the vaccination order.
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The Army's order to withdraw unvaccinated soldiers is the latest by a US military branch amid the pandemic.
Other military divisions, such as the Air Force and Navy, have already recalled unvaccinated service members.
The Army's efforts come the same week that President Joe Biden encouraged Americans to get vaccinated, following the death of more than 900,000 people from the virus.
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"Today, our nation marks another tragic milestone," Biden said in a statement Friday night.
"Each soul is irreplaceable."
The president also reminded Americans that the nation now has "more tools than ever before to save lives and fight this virus, and vaccines remain our most important tool."
"Vaccines and boosters have been shown to be incredibly effective and offer the highest level of protection," the president said.
"250 million Americans have stepped forward to protect themselves, their families and their communities by receiving at least one vaccine, and we have saved more than a million American lives as a result," he said.
