FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — The COVID-19 vaccine mandate is standing in the way of awards for a Fort Bragg soldier who just retired from the military after 25 years of serving our country.
“I knew my 25 years was good enough. I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to get out, let some other younger soldiers move on progressing their military career,” SFC Eric Diggs said. During his last year of service, the military mandated all soldiers get the COVID vaccine. Diggs requested an exemption to the vaccine because before retiring, he was going on what’s known as terminal leave, which is taking any accumulated unused time off.
“I took the admin exemption, processed it through the chain of command, my battalion brigade, and it was approved.” Diggs thought everything was fine as his terminal leave took him into his official retirement from the military. This summer while Diggs was planning his military retirement awards ceremony he learned the bad news. “I found out that my awards were denied because I wasn’t vaccinated.”