Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), today sent a letter to Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin, again urging him to suspend the vaccine mandate for the men and women of the armed forces.
Inhofe wrote: “Right now, the military’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is completely at odds with common sense.
He continued: “It is time to suspend the vaccine requirement and adjust the Department’s COVID mitigation policies to better align with the current public health reality.”
He also expressed concern that the Pentagon’s workforce remains limited to 25 percent capacity.
The full text of the letter can be found here and below:
February 15, 2022
Dear Secretary Austin,
I urge you, again, to suspend the vaccine mandate for the men and women of the armed forces. Right now, the military’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is completely at odds with common sense.
OSHA’s vaccine mandate on private businesses was struck down by the courts. The Department of Defense (DOD) itself has halted the enforcement of vaccine mandates on the civilian and contractor workforce following recent court decisions. Even liberal states like New York and California are ending vaccination or mask requirements for indoor public spaces this month. These are welcome developments that reflect the current public health realities: cases are declining, vaccine rates are high and the CDC is finally acknowledging the benefits of natural immunity.
Yet the policies of the DOD have failed to adapt to our current situation. Since October, the Department has proceeded with separations for hundreds of service members, despite the fact it takes about $60,000 to
$90,000 to onboard new soldiers and prepare them to join their first unit. We cannot afford to waste millions of dollars on replacing service members during this time of historic inflation and unprecedented threats around the world.
I am further alarmed that you have limited attendance at the Pentagon to only 25 percent of the Department of Defense workforce. While some workplaces can certainly better adapt to remote work than others, I think we can all agree that our military, especially at a time when Russia is poised to invade Ukraine, is not one of them.
Your heavy-handed coronavirus policies may destroy morale among the force when we need our service members more than ever. It is time to suspend the vaccine requirement and adjust the Department’s COVID mitigation policies to better align with the current public health reality.
Sincerely,