The U.S. Air Force identified hundreds of service members who were involuntarily discharged for declining the COVID-19 vaccine and allowed eligible veterans to be entitled to some upgrades, boosting their ability to return to service without a waiver, service officials announced Thursday.
The Air Force Review Board Agency conducted the review and upgraded personnel records nine months ahead of the deadline set by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a December 2025 memorandum, according to an Air Force release.
In that memo, Hegseth directed a “proactive review” of personnel records across the service branches to identify those who were involuntarily discharged for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the Biden administration. The review is also meant to facilitate “appropriate discharge upgrades.”
“It is unconscionable that thousands of former Service members who held true to their personal and religious convictions were not just separated, but separated with General (Under Honorable Conditions), rather than Honorable, discharge characterizations,” Hegseth said in the memo.
Over 8,000 troops across all service branches were separated with the classification of “general, under honorable” conditions, which affects their ability to receive certain veterans benefits, such as GI Bill assistance.
Currently, only the Air Force has officially completed its review, but other branches like the Navy have indicated they are in the process of doing so.
The Air Force review found 377 personnel who were involuntarily discharged solely for refusing the vaccine and 218 whose separation “fell outside the original scope,” making a total of 595 active-duty and Guard service members who are impacted by the upgrades, the release says. The ranks of these members range from airman 1st class to master sergeant, per the release.
“Completing this review in record time is more than just an administrative update; it’s how we restore trust and honor the commitment of those who raised their hand to serve,” Undersecretary of the Air Force Matt Lohmeier said in the release.
The Air Force review allows eligible veterans to be entitled to certain upgrades and administrative items to permit those who wish to return to service to be able to do so without a waiver, according to the statement.
The upgrades are an “honorable” service characterization, a reentry code that marks individuals as eligible for immediate reenlistment and a “secretarial authority” narrative reason for separation that signifies the discharge was not for misconduct or failure to meet standards, per the release.
“Today, we are reaching out to each individual to ensure they are aware of their updated records and take full advantage of the service benefits they deserve,” Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Richard Anderson said in the statement.
In addition to the upgrades, the Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata announced on March 13 that the Defense Department is extending the deadline for service members to return to service by a year until April 1, 2027. The initial deadline was next month.
In a Friday video posted to Facebook, Hegseth further highlighted the deadline extension to encourage the return to service, saying the department is working to “right the wrongs and correct the injustices of the Biden Administration.”
In the video, he announced that effective immediately the active-duty obligation for those who opt to return to service is slashed in half from four years to just two years.
“Maybe, for some, four years felt like too much given what had been done to them. We hope two entices warriors of conscience to come back,” Hegseth said in the video.
The new active-duty obligation will be incorporated in all future reinstatement agreements and also applies to service members who have already been reinstated, even though they have already committed to a four-year service obligation, according to Hegseth.
He directed the secretaries of all military departments within 60 days to contact those who have not rejoined already to ensure they are aware of the updates.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.
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