Jan. 27, 2022 DOD Places Variety of Troops on 'Prepare to Deploy' Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III placed a range of U.S. military units comprising 8,500 troops on a heightened preparedness to deploy should Russia invade Ukraine, and those units have been named, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
Dec. 21, 2021 Service Members Must Be Vaccinated or Face Consequences, DOD Official Says Defense Department officials are making it excruciatingly clear that no matter the status, if you wear the cloth of the military, you must get vaccinated.
Dec. 10, 2021 Press Secretary Discusses U.S.-U.K. Talks, Ukraine Situation, Boosters The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom continues with Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks virtually hosting the fifth round of the U.S.-U.K Defense Dialogue, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
Nov. 2, 2021 DOD Civilian Employees Must Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 by Nov. 22, Official Says The Defense Department civilian employees must be fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 shot series by Nov. 22 — that date includes the two-week waiting period for full vaccination effectiveness following the final vaccine dose, a DOD official said.
Oct. 14, 2021 Why Small Businesses Are Essential to U.S. National Security Small businesses are the engines of the U.S. economy, the heartbeat of communities, the sources of U.S. global economic strength and important to national security.
Aug. 25, 2021 Secretary of Defense Mandates COVID-19 Vaccinations for Service Members Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a memorandum directing the secretaries of the military departments to immediately begin full vaccination of all members of the department on active duty or in the Guard or Reserve who aren't yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Aug. 23, 2021 DOD Intends to Mandate Pfizer Vaccine, Pentagon Official Says Since the Food and Drug Administration granted full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, it's very likely the vaccine will soon become mandatory for Defense Department personnel, the Pentagon press secretary said.
Aug. 10, 2021 Services Will Make Call on Religious Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccines For service members who have religious objections to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, the path for how they might seek an exception is defined by their individual military service's regulations, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
Aug. 9, 2021 Austin Seeks Presidential Approval for Mandatory Troop Vaccinations by Mid-September The COVID-19 vaccine will be mandatory for service members by mid-September, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a message to the force.
Aug. 4, 2021 Top Military Medical Doctor Predicts Coronavirus Longevity COVID-19 and other such coronaviruses likely will stay in the environment and continue to mutate, Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director of Defense Health Agency, said.