TRUMP REINSTATES MILITARY MEMBERS BOOTED OVER COVID VAX… WITH BACK...

PHOTO: U.S. Soldiers (including U.S. Marines) securing the U.S. Southern Border with Mexico, Jan. 27, 2025 (courtesy of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. INSERT: Retired Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, receives a COVID-19 vaccine at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., Dec. 21, 2020. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II) / HN edits

HN NOTE: Dear HN readers, and to whomever else it may concern, the following is an executive order released yesterday – January 27, 2025 – by President Donald J. Trump. It is presented word-for-word in italics as follows:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. On August 24, 2021, the Secretary of Defense mandated that all service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Secretary of Defense later rescinded the mandate on January 10, 2023. The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received. Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue.

Sec. 2. Redress. Consistent with the policies announced in section 1 of this order, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall take all necessary action permitted by law to:

(a) make reinstatement available to all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and who request to be reinstated;

(b) enable those service members reinstated under this section to revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation; and

(c) allow any service members who provide a written and sworn attestation that they voluntarily left the service or allowed their service to lapse according to appropriate procedures, rather than be vaccinated under the vaccine mandate, to return to service with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.

Sec. 3. Additional Agency Responsibilities. (a) Nothing in this order precludes disciplinary or administrative action for conduct that is proscribed by chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801-946a).

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs on their progress in implementing this order.

Sec. 4. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

January 27, 2025.

HN photo notes from the overnight:

THERE WAS a little bit of drama (at least initially) as a vehicle wanted for speeding was slow to stop for a patrolman on Forest Road in Yarmouth early this morning, at around 1:45 a.m. The sedan eventually stopped moments later in the middle of Forest Road. Additional YPD prowl cars arrived shortly thereafter to provide backup… and it turned out they weren’t needed after all, as the driver was cooperative. After a long discussion between police and the driver, it apparently came to light that the young man had a disability which sort of mitigated the entire situation. He wasn’t intoxicated and after being advised on what to do next time during a traffic stop, officers appeared cautiously satisfied with letting the young lad proceed with a warning.

Officers were then free to carry on randomly patrolling the neighborhoods and business districts, looking for suspicious anomalies and/or public safety hazards. The temperature was 38°F at the time of the aforementioned traffic stop, relatively “balmy” compared to recent evenings that dipped down into the teens. This morning’s comfortable temperature served as a reminder that a seemingly inevitable spring is possibly somewhere around the corner, God willing.

The rest of the Cape was quiet throughout the overnight, just the normal traffic stops and medical emergencies. I didn’t catch the entire thing, but Chatham Firefighters were dealing with what sounded like an outside fire. It didn’t sound like a big deal and was eventually handled. I normally would call their dispatch to check on what I missed, but it was 4:00 a.m. at the time of this report and I didn’t want to disturb them for something that sounded minor.

And there were, of course, the normal share of fender benders earlier on… but HN doesn’t typically respond to routine crashes, especially if they’re far away.

“We’re in the calm before the storm,” is something I say to those who inquire “what’s new?”

Or “we’re on the dark side of the moon,” which begins waxing later on, as we enter the month of February. Of course, apart from feelings deep in the gut, HN never really knows what is going to happen next. Some of my biggest stories have suddenly happened without warning, on the quietest of days. I could be playing tug-of-war with my dog during the calm wee hours, in our favorite little field out by the airport, where one can see the entire night sky with all its starry constellations – AND THEN there’s suddenly a murder… or a multi alarm inferno… or a head-on with a wrong-way driver…

… and all at once, a quiet, long day’s journey into night is not so quiet anymore.

(And thus is the nature of the job, praying for a quiet overnight, while also praying to be ready when all hell follows with it.)

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Howard Jones… [CLICK IT/CRANK IT! HEADPHONES ABSOLUTELY OBLIGATORY!]