It says any applicants at any of the 65 nationwide Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) should be evaluated for possible coronavirus infection, most likely through a temperature check and questions about their symptoms and possible contact with infected individuals. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. To be sure, COVID-19 has shown to be a virus with enormous capacity to inflict damage on those with severe cases. But like the rest of us, the military has, and will, endure this public health crisis. The Army in particular struggles with annual turnover and meeting recruiting mission and accordingly introduced new tactics in the past two years including branching into urban areas; this ban undercuts these nascent but vital efforts. The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled Americas top thinkers to figure that out. Retired US Army Col. Christopher Kolenda speaks to host Marco Werman about the need of Afghans to develop their own strategy moving forward. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The most common diagnosis was anxiety, found in 17% of those treated for Covid-19, followed by mood disorders, found in 14% of patients, CNN's Ryan Prior writes. For the militarys purposes, whether it causes irreparable lung damage could figure heavily in terms of combat readiness. This ban applies uniquely applies to coronavirus survivors while allowing applicants with histories of other viral, non-chronic illnesses to enter the military. While a small number in reference to the 180,000 cases the United States confirms every day, the military is comprised of only about 1.3 million active-duty personnel. The fact is that the virus is having an effect on the military, too, creating challenges for national defense. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Thats what our health care professionals are looking at right now.. Although COVID-19 is the newest extreme strain in a family of related viruses, there is a good deal of information health experts and the military do not know about the long-term effects of this strain. Military Times says recruits can apply for waivers for all permanently disqualifying conditions, including surviving COVID-19. 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. | The pandemic has exacerbated structural inequities, infecting and killing black people and those without access to healthcare at higher rates. Photos of people who died from Covid-19 are projected onto the Brooklyn Bridge in New York . Survivors could even be at greater risk to re-contract the virus if their immune system and organs retain long-lasting damage. While guidance has been updated to disqualify those who have been hospitalized, infection rates show that a blanket disqualification becomes tacitly discriminatory. But the fact is that the virus is having an effect on the military, too, creating challenges for national defense. Concerningly, banning individuals with a COVID-19 history prioritizes recruits who have both the geographic and financial ability to self-isolate and implement all precautions to avoid infection. Specifically, it lays out guidelines for MEPS staff to deal with potential, as well as confirmed, coronavirus cases. which first reported on the new policy, that the memo is authentic. Pero's story is one of many COVID-19 survivors who, upon recovering from the infection, are only beginning their journey of recovery. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Banning individuals with a COVID-19 history prioritizes recruits who have both the geographic and financial ability to self-isolate. Greg Abbott, who has used SAD orders lasting up to a year to mobilize thousands of troops for missions on the U.S.-Mexico border. "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. However, there are outliers such as Texas Gov. December 17, 2021 / 10:13 AM / AP. Recruits with more severe effects will go before a medical board to determine if they can continue serving. 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. Newsweek reached out to the Department of Defense for further information. As the Defense Department negotiates its way through the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, military entrance processing stations are working with new guidance when it comes to bringing. Its fully capable to defend the country and protect our interests overseas despite the virus. By attempting to simply guard against the unknown, DoD has thrust itself into larger questions of structural inequalities and maintaining readiness long-term. Basic training for the services continues, albeit with reduced intake numbers and many additional restrictions such as physical distancing and testing for infection. Multiple Republican governors have vowed not to kick out Guardsmen who remain unvaccinated. And while patients are often alarmed and frustrated that they can . 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. The story was first reported by the Military Times. Soldiers are required to be innoculated against at least a dozen other ailments, including the flu and hepatitis. Donovan added that he had spent part of the morning on a call with Senate Armed Services Committee members concerned about the ban, after multiple lawmakers voiced concerns about the effects it would have on recruiting. When most people think about the military and the coronavirus, they think of stories such as the hospital ship, USNS Comfort, deploying to New York City, or the National Guard helping with test sites, or the Army Corps of Engineers erecting temporary hospitals this past spring to handle an overload of sick patients. For example, aspikein coronavirus cases to nearly 15o at U.S. bases onOkinawa,Japan, has caused concern among local authorities, who are anxious about the spread of the virus into the population. Pandemic survivor guilt may be pervasive, but it's hard to detect, leaving many struggling in silence. Elizabeth faces a recovery period of up to six months - but feels she has been given a second chance. Potential recruits can apply for waivers for any disqualifying medical condition, but the memo does not give guidance for what would lead to an exemption for someone diagnosed with COVID-19. 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 official told the outlet the guidance is being put in place because there is little understanding of the long-term effects of the virus. The Pentagon has banned survivors of COVID-19 from enlisting in the military, according to a government memo released this week. 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. The updated guidance says that only those who were hospitalized following a COVID-19 diagnosis will be barred from enlisting. However, I do not think that the lack of research available warrants permanently disqualifying patriotic Americans from serving in the military.. Those five days were days of restlessness, sorrow and depression.". Peter researches and develops Heritages policy on weapons of mass destruction and counter proliferation. Please enter valid email address to continue. This piece originally appeared in The Daily Signal. That means a full work-up by military entrance processing station doctors, with time of diagnosis, complications and recovery taken into account. Likewise, in-person official visits, professional conferences, and nonessential travel, which advance military objectives, have been suspended in an attempt to contain and mitigate the risks associated with this worrisome virus. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. But SAD duties do not qualify Guardsmen for federal benefits or retirement -- effectively shutting them out of all of the military's service incentives other than a paycheck. However, changing standards to limit the pool of eligible recruits in ways that piggyback of structural inequities ultimately damages the force. What started as an all-out ban evolved into barring those who had been hospitalized after contracting the virus. The Pentagon has not provided any public updates or said when the formal policy will be issued. Fortunately, the men and women of the armed forces are mostly young, and in good physical health, which reduces the likelihood they will need hospitalization. Banning COVID-19 survivors from military service is a recruiting mess waiting to happen | Center for a New American Security (en-US) Commentary Research Areas The Future of Warfare Strengthening Deterrence The Gaming Lab Defense Discussions The China Challenge Regional Alliances and Partnerships The India Opportunity The North Korea Threat 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 guidance suggesting that anyone who at any point had the virus would be disqualified from military service surfaced online. And as the services brace for a resurgence in infections, its still unknown whether COVID-19 antibodies provide immunity to re-infection, or could perhaps make someone more susceptible to a second round of the disease. 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. The Pentagon's ill-advised new "interim" recruiting policy could cause precisely the harm to service members that it seeks to avoid. While Guardsmen technically serve under their respective governors during their typical weekend duties, those weekends are federally funded. "Soldiers who refuse the vaccination order without an approved or pending exemption request are subject to adverse administrative actions, including flags, bars to service, and official reprimands," an Army spokesperson said in a statement. A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed the document is authentic,. Even ambitious expectations of vaccine development, testing, and production project it will take 18 months or longer. Only six Guard soldiers across all states and territories have permanent medical exemptions for the vaccine, out of 53 who requested one, according to Army data. A defense official told Insider Thursday that the memo, while real, was "interim guidance" that was updated Wednesday. All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine . Nathalie Grogan and Emma Moore, Center for a New American Security President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the mid-morning attack. If soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines are ill with coronavirus, the flu, or something else, it can hurt their ability to fight if needed. But exemption approvals are rare. Applicants who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 will have to wait 28 days after the diagnosis to report for a screening, based on the memo. Recruits can apply for waivers for all permanently disqualifying conditions, but without further guidance for exceptions dealing with COVID-19, a review authority would not have justification to grant a waiver, Military Times notes. National Guard forces in at least 20 states have also reported cases. The original policy, released earlier this month, began as atotal ban on recruits whohad been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past. There is also new guidance for examining an. A1.3: Yes, telework-ready military members, who can perform appropriate military duties remotely, may be assigned to an alternate duty location in their residence or government quarters. Donovan added that he had explained the policy earlier on Thursday morning to Senate Armed Services Committee members worried about the ban and its effects on recruiting. And as the services brace for a resurgence in infections, it's still. The need for a strong and healthy force is grounded in operational readiness and cannot be dismissed. The document says that "a reported history of confirmed COVID-19 will be annotated as 'Considered Disqualifying'" and documented on their medical report. The memo, first reported by the Military Times, says that during the prescreen process, an applicant's reported history of confirmed COVID-19 "will be annotated as 'Considered Disqualifying.
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