VETS WHO REFUSED COVID VACCINE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR GI BILL BENEFITS
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During the height of the COVID pandemic, the Biden Administration separated more than eight thousand military members for refusing to receive the COVID vaccine. On November 17th, the Veterans Administration announced that, under a new executive order issued by President Donald Trump, approximately 900 Veterans who were discharged are now eligible for GI Bill education benefits, with potentially thousands more in line to get the same opportunity.
Executive Order 14184
In January 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14184, "Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under the Military’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate," which called for a reversal of pandemic-era mandates put into effect Aug. 24, 2021, by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Trump described the mandate as “unfair, overbroad, and [a] completely unnecessary burden on our service members.” Austin ultimately rescinded the mandate on Jan. 10, 2023.
“President Trump signed an executive order to reinstate servicemembers who were wrongfully dismissed under Joe Biden’s draconian vaccine mandates," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.
"Now, he is ensuring those who did not reenlist are able to access GI Bill benefits that have helped countless veterans transition to civilian life. Unlike Biden, President Trump will always help—not hurt—those who put their lives on the line for our country.”
Since the release of the executive order, defense officials reviewed records and found that 899 Veterans are now eligible for GI Bill education benefits, with thousands more possibly benefiting from Trump’s executive order. The GI Bill helps Veterans and their family members get money to cover all or some educational and vocational costs.
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Separation Reversal
Trump's executive order also enables all active-duty and reserve military members discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine to seek reinstatement in the military.
In addition to becoming re-eligible for GI Bill benefits, the order mandated that reinstated service members would recover their former ranks and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or other compensation. The executive order allows service members who provide written and sworn statements of correlation between the vaccine and their leaving the military to return to service with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.
In response to the new guidance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed military departments to facilitate discharge upgrades for discharged individuals and others who left the service “as less than fully honorable.”
What Veterans Should Know
Veterans who believe they were discharged inappropriately or believe their military personnel records still reflect an error or injustice (for example, separation under the COVID-19 mandate) may request review from a Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Military or Naval Records. For more information, visit the Military Department Review Boards website.
Once Veterans receive official notification that their discharge status has been upgraded to fully honorable, they can submit a new education benefits claim to VA.
For more information on VA education benefits, visit www.va.gov/education or call 888-GIBILL-1.
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National Security Analyst
BY GEORGE RIEBLING
Air Force Veteran
George Riebling is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of distinguished service as an Air Battle Manager, including operational assignments across five command and control weapon systems. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism, Radio & Television from the University of Missouri. Following his military c...
Credentials
- Retired USAF Colonel, 26 Years Service
- Former NATO Senior Executive (10 years)
- Boeing Strategy and Business Development (2 years)
- Operational experience across 5 Command and Control weapon systems
Expertise
