The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that 56 members of the United States Coast Guard who were discharged for refusing the experimental COVID-19 vaccine have been reinstated with back pay.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem hailed the decision as a victory for religious, personal, and medical freedom, stating: “The last administration’s vaccine mandates were unconstitutional, un-American, and a gross violation of personal freedom. It was no way to treat the men and women who put everything on the line to keep our country safe.”

She added that President Trump is “righting these wrongs and returning those unjustly removed members to service,” calling the decision “a major step in the right direction.”

The reinstatement follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump over a year ago, which permits military agencies to reinstate service members who were discharged for refusing compliance with vaccine mandates. A panel from the Coast Guard’s Board for Correction of Military Records retroactively readmitted these individuals for the date of their discharge after recommending the move to Secretary Noem. This action ensures the reinstated members will not have a break in their military records and are eligible for benefits including back pay, allowances, bonus payments, rank, and seniority.

The Biden administration mandated the COVID-19 vaccine as part of over a dozen immunizations required for military personnel during 2021. As a result, more than 8,000 service members — less than 1 percent of the U.S. military — were discharged for refusing compliance with the requirement. The Coast Guard had previously implemented a similar mandate that was rescinded on January 11, 2023. DHS stated President Trump issued Executive Order 14184 on January 27, 2025, to make reinstatement available for all service members discharged for refusing the vaccine.