May 12, 2020
Banning COVID-19 survivors from military service is a recruiting mess waiting to happen
A recent memo from Military Entrance and Processing Command (MEPCOM) added to previously issued start-stop guidance from the Department of Defense relating to COVID-19. Updated guidelines follow a 24-hour news cycle of confusion. The original memo stated all COVID-19 survivors were banned from serving, later clarified to state a confirmed history of COVID-19 hospitalization is a permanently disqualifying condition for entrance into the armed forces.
As the United States grapples with the realities of a pandemic world, this is an enormous change for medical requirements imposed on new military recruits. More than 5,000 service members have tested positive for coronavirus with mass screenings occurring at recruiting depots and bootcamp.
Read the full article in Task & Purpose.
More from CNAS
-
Sharper: Trump 2.0
Commentary
Donald Trump's return to the White House is widely expected to reshape America's global priorities. With personnel choices and policy agendas that mark a significant break fro...
By Charles Horn & Gwendolyn Nowaczyk
-
Episode 7: Kate Kuzminski, CNAS
Podcast
Kate Kuzminski is Deputy Director of Studies and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She is an expert on ...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
US waited too long to withdraw from Afghanistan
Commentary
There was no good way for the United States to exit the failed war in Afghanistan....
By Paul Scharre
-
Military Analyst: U.S. Trained Afghan Forces For A Nation That Didn't Exist
Podcast
NPR's Don Gonyea speaks with analyst Jason Dempsey about why, after years of U.S. military training and billions of dollars, the Afghan military has proven unable to stand up ...
By Dr. Jason Dempsey
