Indeed, during the 1918Spanish flu, the combatants kept quiet about the virus spread for fear of discouraging their troopsand encouraging their enemies. Advertisement "Many of our members are complaining that they [are] being gaslit. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Thats what our health care professionals are looking at right now.. At the same time, were having our health professionals and our doctors and researchers take a look at that and come up with any recommendations that theyll provide to me and the [defense] secretary, he said, adding that their final decision is forthcoming. Recruits can apply for waivers for all permanently disqualifying conditions, including surviving COVID-19. As of Friday, 5,171 active-duty military personnel have tested positive for COVID-19. Although economic realities may allow the services to temporarily offset tightening medical standards, implementation of this guidance poses questions for whether DoD will be prioritized with virus or antibody testing; if potential recruits will not seek medical care in order to avoid hospitalization; and if it is a sustainable long-term strategy. The memo sent out this. Among hospitalized patients, those who had COVID-19 fared considerably worse than those who had influenza, according to the analysis. Pero's story is one of many COVID-19 survivors who, upon recovering from the infection, are only beginning their journey of recovery. Indeed, during the 1918 Spanish flu, the combatants. Stephen Lopez didn't think he needed to be admitted to the . "In the future, Soldiers who continue to refuse the vaccination order without an exemption may be subject to additional adverse administrative action, including separation," the Army spokesperson said. The updated guidance says that only those who were hospitalized following a COVID-19 diagnosis will be barred from enlisting. The average age of survivors is now into the 80s and because of COVID-19 lectures from hibakusha at the local museum have fallen by 90 per cent. In memos distributed to all troops, top Pentagon leaders said the vaccine is a necessary step to maintain . The original policy, released earlier this month, began as atotal ban on recruits whohad been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past. Her fever spiked to 103 degrees, she had bad chills and it felt like "something was sitting on my . The current widespread prevalence of the coronavirus affects these programs. There is also new guidance for examining an applicant's history with the disease during the screening process. Those five days were days of restlessness, sorrow and depression.". The memo stated that all 65 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) across the country will medically evaluate all potential recruits, who will be required to have their temperature taken and complete a screening survey. The memo initially said that a confirmed history of COVID-19 from a lab test or clinical diagnosis would be "permanently disqualifying." The need for a strong and healthy force is grounded in operational readiness and cannot be dismissed. The move comes in the midst of the annual training season, during which part-time soldiers are often ordered to serve from two weeks to a month with their units for summer training exercises. December 17, 2021 / 10:13 AM / AP. The Carter Center said he wants to spend his remaining time at home with family. It's unclear how easy it will be for the Defense Department to enforce its decision to bar unvaccinated Guardsmen from pay and benefits. Survivors could even be at greater risk to re-contract the virus if their immune system and organs retain long-lasting damage. Editor's Note: This is an opinion column. While the Pentagon keeps secret the number of coronavirus cases in the military, data from the Defense Department indicates over 6,500 coronavirus cases at more than 150 bases in every state in the United States, except Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Montana. Multiple Republican governors have vowed not to kick out Guardsmen who remain unvaccinated. The new policy does not apply to individuals who are already members of the military and have contracted the coronavirus, such as the hundreds of sailors aboard the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt who fell ill, sidelining the carrier in Guam. National Guard forces in at least 20 states have also reported cases. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members. Maxwell declined to explain why a coronavirus diagnosis would be permanently disqualifying, compared to other viral, non-chronic illnesses that do not preclude military service. By LOLITA C. BALDOR August 9, 2021. Hannah Gaber, USA TODAY. Were fortunate to be able to look to themilitary for supportin this time of a national public health crisis and indeed it has played a major role in the federal response. Here are some examples of the impacts of the coronavirus on our military forces: Ongoing preparation and instruction is a fundamental element of our modern military, ranging from boot camp for new recruits to advanced war college education for senior leaders. However, I do not think that the lack of research available warrants permanently disqualifying patriotic Americans from serving in the military.. The long-term impact may mean many soldiers would be forced to leave, a devastating outcome especially in the middle of a recruiting crisis as Defense Department officials struggle to fill the ranks. Data indicate only 1 in 4 Americans can work from home, the ability of which tends to benefit workers in professional and business services, which are also higher wage earners. Dr. Jason Dempsey. Learn more here. A readout of coronavirus cases within the U.S. military, provided to American Military News by the Pentagon, currently lists more than 5,300 active military personnel as having been diagnosed with coronavirus, 115 of which have been hospitalized. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. The reasons for a permanent disqualification are vague. Indeed, as Americans, these tough times will likely improve the resilience of both our militaryand the nation. The ban may also result from limited research on COVID-19, as there's still much that's unknown about the virus, the permanence and assessment of its damage on the lungs and body, whether the virus can reemerge in those who've seemingly recovered from it, and whether prior infection makes a person more immune or susceptible to catching it again. This mental fuzziness, often referred to as "brain fog," has become one of a number of reported Covid-19 recovery symptoms. Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 will have to wait until 28 days after diagnosis before they can report back to Military Entrance Processing Stations. While young people may generally be at lower risk, the sheer numbers of herd immunity still runs the risk of disqualifying large numbers of potential recruits. Of course, these are just a few examples of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on U.S. military forces. First and foremost, the Mt. Covid-19 is something Yoga never wants to experience again and still fears, so when vaccination opened to his age group, he signed up right away and he has now had two jabs. It is unclear if DoD plans to revise the guidance once more information is known about COVID-19. For the militarys purposes, whether it causes irreparable lung damage could figure heavily in terms of combat readiness. Please enter valid email address to continue. A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed the document is authentic,. Three things to know about what critics are calling Mississippis Jim Mike Lindell calls DeSantis a Trojan Horse, Twitter discloses another possible government censorship effort, Legal experts say Fox News on shaky legal ground in Dominion lawsuit, Trump reigns supreme at a diminished CPAC, Judiciary Democrats go after GOP whistleblowers in FBI probes, Texas property tax bill excludes divorced, LGBTQ couples from getting relief, Manchin indicates opposition to Biden lands nominee over internal memo. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The ban may also result from limited research on COVID-19, as there's still much that's unknown about the virus, the permanence and assessment of its damage on the lungs and body, whether the. During the medical history interview or examination, a history of COVID-19, confirmed by either a laboratory test or a clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying the memo reads. Though more than20,000service members have reportedly contracted coronavirus so far, the number is likely higher due to the seemingly high percentage of asymptomatic carriers of the virus. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. DoD seems to be mitigating potential downstream negative health effects or attrition among those previously hospitalized due to COVID-19, calculating a blanket ban is the best course of action (although it is not currently a cause for separation from service). As of July 1, 13% of the Army Guard and 12% of the Reserve is unvaccinated. Anyone who tests positive through a lab test or clinical diagnosis can return to MEPS 28 days after their diagnosis. Indeed, many military exercises and training events, especially overseas, have been delayed or cancelled due to the concerns about spreading the virus nationally or internationally. The original memo stated all COVID-19 survivors were banned from serving, later clarified to state a confirmed history of COVID-19 hospitalization is a permanently disqualifying condition for entrance into the armed forces. Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 will have to wait until 28 days after diagnosis to report to MEPS. NPR's Don Gonyea speaks with analyst Jason Dempsey about why, after years of U.S. military training and billions of dollars, the Afghan military has proven unable to stand up By It adds that during the medical history interview or examination part of their application, "a history of COVID-19 confirmed by either a laboratory test or clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying.". New guidance from the US military will bar individuals who have been hospitalized by COVID-19 from enlisting, a defense official told Insider, clarifying the situation after a memo with interim. Along with low-income individuals whose public-facing jobs risk exposure, minorities are overrepresented in the essential workforce.. May 7, 2020 / 3:48 PM The original memo stated all COVID-19 survivors were banned from serving, later clarified to state a confirmed history of COVID-19hospitalizationis a permanently disqualifying condition for entrance into the armed forces. A person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 will not be able to join the military, according to a memo recently issued from U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command. The Pentagon has banned survivors of COVID-19 from enlisting in the military, according to a government memo released this week. Doctors, scientists and researchersare still not sure whether the new illness has any short- or long-term effects, including possible damage to the lungs orsusceptibility to contracting the virus at another point in time. Hiroko Hatakeyama, 83, was a few kilometres from the hypocentre and witnessed her young relatives die from the effects of the bomb. However, changing standards to limit the pool of eligible recruits in ways that piggyback of structural inequities ultimately damages the force. Editors note: In mid-May 2020, the Defense Department updated its accessions guidance, removing policy barriers to COVID-19 survivors joining the services. A memo by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, as shared on Twitter and reported by . The contents of the memo, which has been circulating on the internet, were confirmed to Newsweek by the Pentagon, which described them as "interim guidance."