Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that all remaining service members who had refused the COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic will have their discharges reviewed immediately.
Hegseth said based on their discharges and conduct after leaving the service, the Department of War will automatically upgrade the member's status from a less-than-honorable general to an honorable discharge, to restore critical benefits.
An honorable discharge unlocks benefits like the GI Bill, insurance, and more, and thousands of service members have not been able to access these benefits for years, simply because they refused the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Department of War said as of Tuesday, about 3,000 service members still need their status changed so they can access those benefits again.
Matthew Northcutt, a former Marine sergeant at Camp Pendleton, experienced the stress of possibly being discharged for refusing the vaccine firsthand. Northcutt described feeling 'scorned' for holding steadfast to his faith and beliefs against the vaccine.
"The process, while I was in, was pretty stressful. It was really up in the air whether I was getting kicked out. Thankfully, I did not," Northcutt said.
ABC 10News first reported on Northcutt's story in 2021, when he fought for a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine to avoid a dishonorable discharge.
Northcutt's status was still pending when the Department of Defense, at the time, ended the vaccine mandate. He served a total of 5.5 years.
While Northcutt was spared, more than 8,000 other service members were discharged for refusing the vaccine.
Per the press release, Most of those service members received an honorable discharge, but over 4,000 had their service characterized as general (under honorable conditions). That's one step below honorable, and that discharge characterization meant they were ineligible to use GI Bill educational benefits for themselves or a family member. While nearly 900 veterans have already had their discharge characterizations upgraded, over 3,000 remain to be reviewed.
Tuesday's announcement follows President Trump's inaugural promise, made in January: "This week I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay."
The Department of War said it will automatically review records to upgrade discharges. Most former members won't need to do anything. The department stated it has already helped 900 veterans get upgrades.
"They are stellar individuals who were mistreated, so we're certainly glad to see that some justice, even though it's late, is coming to them," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.
Since 2021, Staver said he has represented several thousand service members in this fight against getting vaccinated. He also represented Northcutt in the 2021 federal lawsuit, which was ultimately denied. However, Staver said he successfully obtained several injunctions against entities, including the United States Air Force Academy.
Staver watched the Defense Department first threaten dishonorable discharge, which he described are like felonies in the military. Then, in December 2021, Congress stepped in and stopped that punishment, changing it to a less-than-honorable discharge instead. Staver says service members felt betrayed, and the ordeal took a heavy toll.
"Some of them were actually threatened that they had to repay their education costs or their training costs. So we do know of two individuals who committed suicide because of this intense pressure that was placed on them," Staver said.
When asked if he would re-enlist, Northcutt shared that there's a stigma in the military that will follow someone forever following an ordeal like refusing to get the vaccine. That is why he's now using his GI Bill for his undergraduate schooling, hoping one day to study law, while raising a family. He recently joined the reserves, but said he wishes he could go back full-time. However, Northcutt said this is what's best for his family.
"I think about going back every day, I truly do miss it," Northcutt said.
Hegseth says all upgraded members will get notifications by mail.
