The Defense Department will not provide back pay to troops who were kicked out for refusing to get mandated coronavirus vaccines, despite congressional Republicans forcing the Biden administration to rescind the policy.
A Pentagon spokesman on Tuesday walked back comments from last week that suggested such a policy change was being considered.
“We are not currently pursuing back pay to service members who were dismissed for refusing to take the COVID vaccination,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. “At the time that those orders were refused, it was a lawful order. So I’ll just leave it at that.