US Army restricted unvaccinated soldiers from official travel, documents show

FIRST ON FOX: The U. S. Army restricted unvaccinated soldiers from engaging in any official travel without express approval from the upper echelons of the Army.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a pair of U. S. Army fragmentary orders (FRAGOs) from multiple sources detailing COVID-19 guidance issued on July 8 and 19, 2022.

The FRAGO orders issued on July 8 include a bolded update from June 16, 2022, that reminded soldiers of the guidance prohibiting unvaccinated soldiers, even those with or awaiting a vaccine exemption, from engaging in official travel without "prior-approval" from Army Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo.

"UNVACCINATED SOLDIERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL WITHOUT PRIOR-APPROVAL FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY OF THE ARMY," the June 16 update read. "From the Army G-1: This is a reminder to the field that IAW FRAGO 22 to HQDA EXORD 225-21, Soldiers who are unvaccinated for COVID-19 are not eligible for official travel (any travel on an order published by the government, including TDY, PCS, no cost PCS, low-cost PCS, and intra-post transfers) without prior approval from the Under Secretary of the Army."

"This requirement for prior-approval from the Under Secretary includes Soldiers who have an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption (See Annex VVVV below), pending an exemption request or appeal, disapproved exemption request, or vaccine refusals," the update continued.

"As an exception, prior-approval for official travel is not required for travel related to separations and processing, retirement, redeployments, and HRC approved compassionate actions," it added.

The July 19 FRAGO removed the bolded text that prohibited unvaccinated soldiers from traveling for three days while maintaining an order barring unvaccinated soldiers awaiting exemptions from Camarillo – including religious exemptions – from engaging in a permanent change of station (PCS).

However, according to the June 16 update, the ban on unvaccinated soldiers traveling for official business came from FRAGO 22 – which appeared to still be in effect based on its inclusion in both documents' titles.

"IAW Annex MMMM, unvaccinated Soldiers who are pending medical or administrative exemption (to include religious accommodation) will not conduct a permanent change of station (PCS)," the July 19 FRAGO reads. "Exceptions may only be approved by the Under Secretary of the Army."

"These requests will be submitted to the Under Secretary of the Army through the Vice Director of the Army Staff. Refer to paragraph 3.d.15.b.2. For advanced approval for travel," it continues. "Further, unvaccinated Soldiers who do not have a pending medical or administrative exemption (to include religious accommodation) remain flagged and are therefore ineligible to PCS under current Army policies and in accordance with Annex YYY."

A new order, FRAGO 29, has since been released, according to sources familiar, but it is unclear how or whether the new orders alter the previous ones obtained by Fox News Digital.

By requiring unvaccinated soldiers to get under secretary approval for a PCS, the Army is giving soldiers an ultimatum: either get vaccinated or they don't get a promotion that requires changing stations, unless they receive prior approval from the upper echelons of the service.

The Army can also put soldiers' careers on pause by flagging them, preventing the soldiers from receiving pay raises, advancements and promotions until the flag is lifted.

Additionally, the orders prevent unvaccinated National Guard soldiers from attending drills, which can threaten both their paychecks and retirement track.

"Effective 1 July 2022, members of the ARNG/ARNGUS and USAR who do not comply with Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccination requirements may not participate in drills, training and other duty conducted under title 10 or Title 32, U. S. Code or receive payment or retirement credit for such duty unless subsequently becoming fully vaccinated or otherwise having a pending or approved medical or administrative exemption (to include religious accommodation). By exception, service members who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and not currently pending an exemption, may be placed into a duty status that could include compensation and retirement credit after 30 June 2022 for the limited purpose of allowing the service member to participate in any required activities related to the administration of related exemption requests and separation procedures."

When asked for comment on the FRAGOs, the Department of Defense (DOD) pointed Fox News Digital toward the Army.

The Army shared a press release from April 2020 about previous COVID-19 guidance – that was written months before the vaccine was even created – and pointed Fox News Digital back toward the DOD for more information on the policies, as the department sets them.

The Army also denied the documents obtained by Fox News Digital were legitimate but confirmed that unvaccinated soldiers were not allowed to engage in a PCS without the under secretary's prior approval. The spokesperson also pointed to new DOD guidance marking PCS travel as "mission-critical."

The new guidance still limits unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated soldiers to mission-critical travel.

"Since the vaccine mandate went into effect, Soldiers pending medical or administrative exemptions, including religious accommodations, have been able to conduct [a] permanent change of station travel with advance approval by the under secretary of the Army," an Army spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

"This week, however, the Department of Defense updated its travel policy, and Army leaders are reviewing DoD’s policy to determine what impacts, if any, these changes may have on Army policy," the spokesperson continued.

The spokesperson did not specify when the policy requiring under secretary approval to engage in a PCS went into effect.

However, multiple sources were able to access the FRAGO and verify its authenticity to Fox News Digital.

Fox Digital spoke with Jim Carafano regarding the FRAGOs. Carafano is vice president of the Heritage Foundation's Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy.

Carafano said that, although he understands the need to push vaccines for "operational readiness," the Biden administration has a "track record" for pushing the COVID-19 vaccine to establish a "political narrative." He also noted how he believes this in part has resulted in a loss of confidence in military policies when military recruitment has become "very difficult."... (Read more)

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