On Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, the Pentagon announced it will convene a panel to study the decisions, coordination, planning, and execution of the military’s 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate. This mandate led to the dismissal or departure of more than 8,700 service members.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the nonpartisan and independent National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct the review. The panel aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the mandate's implementation within the military.

This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to assess the impact and management of COVID-19 policies in the U.S. armed forces.

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