VA is now encouraging all veterans who were discharged from military service for refusing the COVID vaccine, numbering perhaps in the thousands, to seek an upgraded status and apply for restored GI Bill benefits. 

A Department press advisory, distributed earlier this week, referenced President Trump’s January Executive Order 14184, Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under the Military’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate. Following issuance of the Executive Order, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed the military departments to facilitate, among other things, discharge upgrades for individuals involuntarily separated solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and whose service was characterized as less than fully honorable. 

The press advisory reports that VA has now sent letters to veterans who have already received upgraded discharges to inform them of their potential eligibility for restored GI Bill education benefits as well. Click below to read that advisory in its entirety.