Naval Official Apologizes to Personnel Dismissed Over Vaccine Policy

The country’s naval department has reportedly issued formal apologies to former military personnel who were allegedly dismissed from service due to COVID-19 vaccination requirements implemented under the previous administration, according to official statements released Friday.

Under Secretary Hung Cao, who oversees approximately one million naval, marine, and civilian personnel as the department’s chief operating officer, acknowledged what he characterized as institutional failures in handling vaccination mandate enforcement during the pandemic period.

“To the sailors and marines who were wrongfully discharged during COVID, we failed you,” Cao stated in a video message, according to sources. “We will never allow this to happen again, not on my watch. We are ready for you to come back, and we want to correct your records.”

The current head of state signed Executive Order 14184 shortly after taking office, directing federal agencies to identify affected service members and pursue reinstatement or benefit restoration measures. The directive reportedly applies to former members across all military branches who were discharged solely for refusing COVID-19 vaccination.

Observers note that the previous defense secretary had mandated vaccination for all service members in 2021, a policy that was subsequently rescinded in 2023. The current administration has characterized these dismissals as unjust, particularly given what officials describe as inadequate consideration of exemption requests.

“The military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received,” the executive order states, according to government documents.

According to veterans’ affairs data, more than 8,000 service members were reportedly separated following the implementation of the vaccination mandate. The current defense secretary noted in a December memo that many personnel received general discharge characterizations rather than honorable discharges, describing this as “unconscionable.”

The defense department has reportedly directed military leadership to proactively review personnel records and facilitate discharge upgrades for those affected. Critics of the previous policy argue that the mandate represented government overreach, while supporters maintain that vaccination requirements were necessary public health measures during the pandemic.

As is common in nations experiencing political transitions, the current leadership’s reversal of predecessor policies reflects broader ideological shifts regarding federal authority and individual choice in medical decisions. The military, like many institutions in the country, continues to navigate tensions between collective security measures and personal autonomy.