Fort Campbell military personnel now required to get vaccinated against COVID-19

FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – All military personnel are now required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according a memo released from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Wednesday morning,

The memo directs the Secretaries of the Military Departments to immediately begin full vaccination of all members of the Armed Forces.

This mandate includes all personnel on active duty or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The deadline is still unclear on when personnel are required to get their shot, however, the memo asked secretaries of the military to impose “ambitious timelines for implementation.”

Additionally, any service member who is vaccinated under the mandate will receive the Pfizer vaccine, as it’s the only COVID-19 shot to receive full approval from the FDA.

“Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 will only use COVID-19 vaccines that receive full licensure from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in accordance with FDA-approved labeling and guidance,” the memo read.

This does not negate the vaccination of any service member who voluntarily got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, both of which have not received their full approval from the FDA but instead are authorized under emergency use.

Additionally, the memo said any service member who is actively participating in a COVID-19 clinical trial is exempted from mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.

The memo also requires the secretaries to report regularly on completing the mandatory vaccination plan.

Clarksville Now has reached out to the Fort Campbell Public Affairs Office and Blanchfield Army Community Hospital for more information on how the installation plans to accommodate the mandate.