Coronavirus Updates | Military Times

No firings yet for VA workers who refuse COVID vaccines, despite continued warnings

Officials had said firings could start this month for staffers who missed vaccination deadlines last fall.

14 hours ago

Milley, Berger, test positive for COVID-19

Two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have contracted COVID-19.

2 days ago

Veterans

New $16 billion VA medical records system delayed again. This time by COVID

Plans to deploy the software in Ohio in March are being pushed back almost two months.

Guard may help staffing shortages at New Mexico schools

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the additional help would ensure that students can remain in the classroom.

5 days ago

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Delorey, a medic with the 157th Medical Group, gives Tech. Sgt. Ravi Madahar, a boom operator with the 157th Operations Group, a Moderna booster shot Dec. 22, 2021 at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire. (Staff Sgt. Victoria Nelson/Air National Guard)

Two more Army reservists die of COVID

Roughly half of the military's 88 COVID-19 deaths have been among Army reservists.

6 days ago

Military deployments alone won’t be enough to fight COVID surge, Biden says

About 1,000 military medical specialists will deploy to hard-hit hosptials in coming weeks to ease pressure on health care staff.

6 days ago

Army offers recruits up to $50K bonus as pandemic takes toll

Given the high standards, it will be difficult for many to qualify for the top bonus.

7 days ago

VA won’t mail out COVID kits but veterans can get free tests at clinics

Federal officials are expected to distribute 500 million coronavirus test kits in coming weeks.

7 days ago

Kentucky National Guard members to help strained hospitals

Roughly one-third of Kentucky’s hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages.

8 days ago

US, Japan agree to keep troops on base to curb COVID spread

The restrictions starting Monday will last 14 days.

10 days ago

Covid surge delayed release of VA’s recommendations for facility closings, expansions

The report was due out on Jan. 31 but will be delayed by six weeks.

11 days ago

Cadets wear masks as they sit under camouflage netting, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in West Point, N.Y.

Pentagon drops new quarantine guidance for COVID-19 exposure, diagnosis

Positive? Close contact? Asymptomatic? These are the new rules.

12 days ago

4 reservists died of COVID-19 complications in a single week

The military reported 72 deaths overall in 2021.

12 days ago

Navy boots first sailors from service for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

The Navy announced that 20 sailors have been separated for rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine.

13 days ago

Thousands in Texas Guard unvaccinated as mandate challenged

Texas has more than 20,000 National Guard members, the largest contingent of any state.

2 weeks ago

USS Milwaukee back to sea following COVID-19 outbreak

While the Navy says infected sailors had mild or no symptoms, the outbreak still sidelined the littoral combat ship for several weeks.

2 weeks ago

Oklahoma Guard bars unvaccinated airmen from drilling after Jan. 1

The head of the Oklahoma National Guard has ordered unvaccinated airmen to stay home from drill weekends.

3 weeks ago

COVID-19 cases within VA hit new pandemic highs

The department recorded more than 27,000 cases on Thursday morning, almost 30 percent above its January high.

3 weeks ago

Pentagon pushes maximum telework through January 2022

The health protection condition status for the Pentagon Reservation hasn't changed, but officials are tightening restrictions and safety measures for the worksite.

3 weeks ago

Judge rejects Oklahoma’s lawsuit over National Guard vaccine mandate

U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot denied Oklahoma’s request for a preliminary injunction, saying the claims by Gov. Kevin Stitt, Attorney General John O’Connor and 16 anonymous Oklahoma National Guard members were without merit.

3 weeks ago

National Guard deploys to help Massachusetts hospitals

Massachusetts National Guard members started fanning out across the state Monday to provide much needed help to dozens of understaffed hospitals facing a surge of COVID-19 patients.

3 weeks ago

Nearly 25 percent of USS Milwaukee crew has COVID-19, officials say

The USS Milwaukee has a crew of a bit more than 100, and it was forced to pause its deployment late last week because of the coronavirus outbreak.

3 weeks ago

USS Milwaukee sidelined in Cuba following COVID-19 outbreak

The crew is completely vaccinated, and some sailors are exhibiting mild symptoms.

4 weeks ago

Navy advises sailors to get COVID-19 vaccine booster shot

The Navy signaled that a booster shot will likely become mandatory in the not-too-distant future.

4 weeks ago

One fully vaccinated service member has died of COVID-19 complications

The most recent deaths bring the military's toll to 82.

4 weeks ago

GOP officials back lawsuit demanding more religious exemptions to military vaccine mandate

Forty-seven Republican lawmakers are asking federal courts to step in and override Pentagon decisions on vaccine exemptions.

4 weeks ago

35-year-old sailor from California dies due to COVID-19 complications

Lt. Ivey Quintana-Martinez, 35, was assigned to Navy Reserve Center San Diego.

4 weeks ago

GI Bill housing stipend protections enacted for vets whose classes were upended by the pandemic

The special authorities to protect student veterans were set to expire Tuesday night.

4 weeks ago

Coronavirus | COVID-19 Updates

Updates and coverage about COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.

Officials had said firings could start this month for staffers who missed vaccination deadlines last fall.

Two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have contracted COVID-19.

Plans to deploy the software in Ohio in March are being pushed back almost two months.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the additional help would ensure that students can remain in the classroom.

Roughly half of the military's 88 COVID-19 deaths have been among Army reservists.

About 1,000 military medical specialists will deploy to hard-hit hosptials in coming weeks to ease pressure on health care staff.

Given the high standards, it will be difficult for many to qualify for the top bonus.

Federal officials are expected to distribute 500 million coronavirus test kits in coming weeks.

Roughly one-third of Kentucky’s hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages.

The restrictions starting Monday will last 14 days.

The report was due out on Jan. 31 but will be delayed by six weeks.

Positive? Close contact? Asymptomatic? These are the new rules.

The military reported 72 deaths overall in 2021.

The Navy announced that 20 sailors have been separated for rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Texas has more than 20,000 National Guard members, the largest contingent of any state.

While the Navy says infected sailors had mild or no symptoms, the outbreak still sidelined the littoral combat ship for several weeks.

The head of the Oklahoma National Guard has ordered unvaccinated airmen to stay home from drill weekends.

The department recorded more than 27,000 cases on Thursday morning, almost 30 percent above its January high.

The health protection condition status for the Pentagon Reservation hasn't changed, but officials are tightening restrictions and safety measures for the worksite.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot denied Oklahoma’s request for a preliminary injunction, saying the claims by Gov. Kevin Stitt, Attorney General John O’Connor and 16 anonymous Oklahoma National Guard members were without merit.

Massachusetts National Guard members started fanning out across the state Monday to provide much needed help to dozens of understaffed hospitals facing a surge of COVID-19 patients.

The USS Milwaukee has a crew of a bit more than 100, and it was forced to pause its deployment late last week because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The crew is completely vaccinated, and some sailors are exhibiting mild symptoms.

The Navy signaled that a booster shot will likely become mandatory in the not-too-distant future.

The most recent deaths bring the military's toll to 82.

Forty-seven Republican lawmakers are asking federal courts to step in and override Pentagon decisions on vaccine exemptions.

Lt. Ivey Quintana-Martinez, 35, was assigned to Navy Reserve Center San Diego.

The special authorities to protect student veterans were set to expire Tuesday night.