You can go over here, you’re not vaccinated," Harris. You know, you go over here you’re vaccinated I can put you on mission. I call you and you got to be ready to go tonight and there’s no time to sort through people, put them in separate lines. “That’s what we call our 'fight tonight' mentality. Guard members were part of the team administering the vaccine when the shots first became available in Ohio. The Ohio National Guard has played a critical role in Ohio’s pandemic response, from deployments to nursing homes and food banks to correctional facilities. “But because of so much controversy about this particular vaccine, we completely understand why it can be confusing and very challenging for our folks to make the decision.” “Any time a member leaves, it should affect us and I hate that we will have members leave over this issue," he said. I mean we have to be able to respond and it’s tough to respond if we feel that we may do harm or be dangerous to the people that we’re responding to help.”įor those who are hesitant, Harris said medical professionals and chaplains are available for counseling. “Across the board, the response has been very, very, very, very positive," said Harris. “We have a responsibility as the protectors, as the responders, to ensure that we do no harm. With the Army Guard deadline more than six months away, he said that figure is unclear at this time. “A variety of administrative measures that they can take up to and including separation if they feel that’s appropriate,” he said.Ī few days before the deadline, Harris estimated more than 90 percent of Air Guard members were fully vaccinated. If the exemption is denied and the service member still refuses, Harris said what happens next is up to the commanders and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Any approvals for those exemptions to the required vaccine would come from the federal government. Harris estimates a couple hundred medical and religious exemptions have been requested so far. There are about 11,000 members in the Ohio Army National Guard and about 5,000 members in the Ohio Air National Guard. The Ohio National Guard is comprised of an Air Guard and an Army Guard. “There’s a huge tug of war about what 'right' looks like regarding this vaccine and we want our soldiers and airmen to have ground truth about what we know about the vaccine, about its effects, and about the disease," said Maj. However, he said the level of resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is a new experience. “When you join the military, the first thing you do is get in line and go through your medical processing and anybody who’s ever served will tell you, you go through a gauntlet and you may get seven, eight, shots," said Harris. He said mandatory vaccines in the military are nothing new. Ohio Army Guard soldiers have until 6/30 to get the shots. tells me more than 90% of airmen are fully vaccinated ahead of the 12/2 deadline. MILITARY VACCINE MANDATE: Some deadlines have already passed, others are quickly approaching. "There’s no place for politics in soldiering.” John Harris, who leads the Ohio National Guard under Gov. “We want to take any politics out of soldiering," said Maj. There has been pushback, refusal, and even lawsuits surrounding this issue across the country. The mandate was not embraced by all service members.
June 30, 2022: Army National Guard and Army Reserve members are required to be vaccinated 28, 2021: Navy and Marines reserves face a COVID-19 vaccination deadline 15, 2021: Active duty Army members are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19ĭec. 2, 2021: Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members face COVID-19 vaccination deadlineĭec. 28, 2021: Active members of the Navy and Marines were required to be vaccinatedĭec. 2, 2021: Active members of the Air Force and Space Force were required to be vaccinated 24, 2021: The Department of Defense announced it would order members of the military to get vaccinated against COVID-19
Since that August 24th order, each military branch has worked to implement the mandate and a deadline, which varies by department.Īug. The COVID-19 vaccine will ensure that enough National Guard troops are ready the next time the nation dials 911.OHIO - The day after the FDA approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the Department of Defense mandated that all members of the Armed Forces be fully vaccinated against the virus. If the Guard is to continue to serve as the duct tape that can fix any problem, it needs every soldier and airman that it can muster. National Guard troops have even driven school buses when needed. military’s mission to the southern border. The National Guard is constantly being mobilized in response to every type of problem imaginable, including natural disasters, protests, and the U.S.
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