US military doctor Theresa Long has launched an investigation to determine whether mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations were linked to deaths among American service members, according to a report by Politico.
Long said she is conducting the inquiry in collaboration with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
She stated that she is examining more than 2,500 reports of fatal cases recorded among military personnel following coronavirus vaccination.
Specialists involved in the review are working to establish whether service members died from the vaccines after former President Joe Biden made vaccination compulsory for all active military personnel in 2021.
Long also stated that she personally knows of 28 fatal cases that she assesses may have been linked to the vaccinations. She declined to disclose specific details regarding those individual episodes.
Investigation of military vaccination records
Politico, a political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, reported on the launch of the probe. The investigation focuses on medical reports collected across the US Armed Forces following the implementation of federal immunization requirements.
Theresa Long is an Army flight surgeon who has previously raised concerns regarding military healthcare practices and vaccine safety protocols. In her current inquiry, she is coordinating with senior federal health and defense leadership.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serves as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the executive department responsible for overseeing national public health agencies. Pete Hegseth leads the Department of Defense, commonly known as the Pentagon, which directs all branches of the US military from its headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia.
During the Biden administration in August 2021, the Department of Defense mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for all service members across active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard forces. Service members who refused to comply faced administrative disciplinary actions or involuntary discharge from military service.
Reinstatement of discharged troops
The investigation follows an announcement that US President Donald Trump will reinstate military personnel who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
According to the executive order, reinstated service members will be restored to their former ranks. The directive also mandates that returned personnel receive back pay and full military benefits for the period following their dismissal.
Executive orders issued by the President of the United States serve as binding directives for federal agencies and military administration. The process of restoring rank, back pay, and benefits involves administrative corrections to military service records managed by the individual service branches.
