Just two days after President Donald Trump ordered the reinstatement of service members forcibly discharged for refusing the experimental COVID shot, the U.S. Marines officially offered one of Liberty Counsel’s military clients full reinstatement.
The client was one of thousands of service members involved in a series of litigations against the Pentagon where Liberty Counsel obtained multiple restraining orders and injunctions, including a class-wide injunction. As a result, the Pentagon dropped its unconstitutional COVID shot mandate. Prior to that, however, the Pentagon discharged more than 8,300 service members for refusing to take the harmful shot. Despite many refusing for religious reasons, the military uniformly denied most of the 36,500 religious accommodation requests it received from troops to abstain from the mandate.
On January 29, the former Marine Corps officer received the offer via a brief email.
“In accordance with Executive Order, we want to inform you of the opportunity to continue your service as a United States Marine in the active or reserve component at your former rank and receive back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation in accordance with applicable law, regulation, and policy,” read the email. “The Marine Corps will provide additional information as available. Thank you for previous Service and continued support of the Marine Corps to remain the most lethal and capable warfighting organization in the world.”
While it is unclear how many of the former service members will take advantage of the offer, only 43 troops had elected to return to service under the Biden Administration after it rescinded the mandate and quietly offered some service members to rejoin amid heavy recruiting shortfalls. It is also unclear how long these former service members will have to consider the offer, but as the executive order states, the Pentagon must report back to President Trump within 60 days to report on the progress of the order’s implementation.
Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “President Donald Trump’s reinstatement order helps alleviate a tremendous wrong committed against many of our military patriots who were unjustly forced out of our armed forces. This welcomed move offers restoration to these brave service members who stood against an unlawful and harmful mandate, and is a step toward restored trust and confidence within the military ranks at a time when America needs a strong military. The religious convictions of our military heroes must always remain compatible with military service. We finally have a Commander-in-Chief who respects and honors the men and women who defend our freedom.”
