Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the Pentagon has extended the deadline for service members discharged or separated over refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine to apply for reinstatement until April 1, 2027. The move adds a full year to the previous cutoff of April 1, 2026, and reduces the active-duty service obligation for returnees from four years to two.

Hegseth directed the secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to recontact eligible former members who have not yet rejoined within 60 days to inform them of the updated terms. "We are extending the Department’s ‘reinstatement and return to service’ guidance by an additional year, allowing our Warriors of Conscience to return through April 1, 2027," Hegseth stated in a social media video. He described the change as a way to correct "the wrongs of the Biden administration."

The program stems from Executive Order 14184, signed by President Trump on January 27, 2025, which directed the Department of Defense to address separations tied to the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. That mandate, issued in August 2021 by then-Secretary Lloyd Austin and ended in 2023, led to roughly 8,700 involuntary separations across the services, with more than 3,000 receiving less-than-honorable discharges. Hegseth issued guidance in December 2025 calling for proactive reviews of those cases.

The Air Force moved first, completing a review Thursday that upgraded discharge records for nearly 600 airmen and Guardians, including 377 involuntarily separated solely for vaccine refusal and 218 additional cases. Those upgrades change general discharges to honorable, assign reentry codes for immediate reenlistment without waivers, and ensure access to benefits like VA home loans and the post-9/11 GI Bill for non-returnees.

"Our team has worked tirelessly to upgrade nearly 600 cases... whose involuntary separation precluded their reentry to service," said Richard Anderson, Air Force assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs. The service is notifying each individual directly. Undersecretary Matt Lohmeier called the effort "how we restore trust and honor the commitment of those who raised their hand to serve."

Eligible veterans may also pursue back pay, bonuses, and medical reimbursements covering the period from separation to reinstatement, processed through the Defense Finance and Accounting Service after board approval. Hegseth noted the two-year commitment aims to entice "warriors of conscience" back, reflecting confidence in their immediate impact.

Other services continue their reviews, with the extension providing more time amid ongoing recruitment challenges.