As reported on AFN, the recruiting shortage has grown so acute that the Army recently reached out to the nearly 2,000 soldiers kicked out of the service for refusing to get the mandated COVID-19 shot and advised them on how to correct their discharge records and rejoin the military.
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. During an appearance on Fox & Friends, he slammed the Pentagon for kicking out thousands of armed forces members for refusing to submit to the radical COVID policy.
"These are our heroes – and they were just dismissed and disrespected with this COVID tyranny that swept the political class in Washington," Schmitt said. "So, they're gone – about 8,000 of them.
"Now, as we face these readiness challenges with an adversary like China, we have recruiting problems. [But] we just simply dismissed 8,000 people and haven't done anything to bring them back."
The Republican lawmaker says if those who were dismissed want to come back, certain conditions must be met. "They need to be fully restored with back pay, full rank, and an apology from Secretary Austin," Schmitt demanded.
The senator pointed out that during a committee earlier this year, he pressed Defense Secretary Austin on the matter.
"They had no plan to go after these folks and try and recruit them back," he recalled. "So, we want to make sure there's forward momentum – and that these individuals are treated with the respect they deserve."
In a related press statement on Monday, Schmitt stated he is "convinced that mandates during COVID-19 for vaccinations and masks have made recruits refrain from serving our nation."
