The Department of the Navy issued a formal apology after acknowledging that some sailors and Marines were "unjustly removed" under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Under Secretary Hung Cao promised to correct records and welcome eligible former service members back. President Trump's Executive Order 14184 directs agencies to identify those discharged solely for refusing the vaccine and to consider reinstatement or benefit restoration. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports more than 8,000 separations linked to the mandate, and a senior official has ordered proactive record reviews to pursue discharge upgrades.
Navy Apologizes, Offers Reinstatement After COVID Vaccine Discharges — Under Secretary Hung Cao Vows to 'Right Past Wrongs'
Navy Under Secretary Hung Cao says personnel discharged over vaccine mandate were 'failed'
The Department of the Navy on Friday issued a formal apology to former service members it says were "unjustly removed" under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao pledged that the department will work to correct records and welcome back sailors and Marines who were discharged during the pandemic era.
"To the sailors and marines who were wrongfully discharged during COVID, we failed you," Cao said in a video posted on X. "We will never allow this to happen again, not on my watch. We are ready for you to come back, and we want to correct your records."
Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao appeared in a video discussing the Navy’s apology letter to former service members.(Fox News)
Cao, who serves as the Navy's chief operating and management officer and oversees roughly one million Navy, Marine Corps, and civilian personnel, acknowledged the personal and professional impact of the vaccine mandate on those who were forced out of service.
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14184 directing federal agencies to identify service members affected by the prior vaccine requirement and to take steps to reinstate them or restore certain benefits. The order applies to former members of the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, and Coast Guard who were separated solely for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is reviewing discharges tied to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and working to correct military records.
The Department of Defense required all service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning in 2021; that policy was rescinded in 2023. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 8,000 service members were separated after the vaccine requirement was enforced.
"The military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received," the executive order states.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January 2025, directing the review of military discharges tied to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In a December memo, Secretary Pete Hegseth called it "unconscionable" that thousands of service members who cited personal or religious convictions were separated with general (under honorable conditions) rather than honorable characterizations. Hegseth said he has ordered a proactive review of personnel records to identify individuals who were involuntarily discharged solely for refusing the vaccine and to facilitate appropriate discharge upgrades.
The Department of the Navy's apology letter begins the process of outreach to affected former personnel and signals an intent to correct administrative records, consider reinstatement, and restore benefits where appropriate. The Navy said it will provide additional guidance to former service members on next steps.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Navy for further comment.
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