Aug. 11, 2021 Services Will Make Call on Religious Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccines For service members who have religious objections to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, the path for how they might seek an exception is defined by their individual military service's regulations, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
Aug. 10, 2021 SECDEF requests mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for military By mid-September, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will request a waiver from President Joe Biden to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for service members, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
July 6, 2021 Sexual assaults will no longer be prosecuted by commanders Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III accepted all of the recommendations of an independent review commission that proposed an array of changes in how the Department of Defense and the services that fall under it will handle sexual assaults.
June 21, 2021 Austin Signs Internal Directive to Unify Department's China Efforts Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued an internal directive to laser-focus Defense Department efforts to address China as the nation's number one pacing challenge.
May 31, 2021 President: America's Fallen Defended 'Vital, Beating Heart of our Nation' President Joe Biden and Defense Department leaders honored those who gave their lives in service to their nation as well as the families of the fallen during a Memorial Day observance ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
May 7, 2021 Defense leaders to discuss sex assault review commission recommendation The Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military has presented initial recommendations to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III that would take the responsibility of prosecuting sexual assault offenses out of commanders' hands.
Feb. 19, 2021 DOD Taking Steps to Prevent Sexual Assault, Extremism Sexual assault and extremism will not be tolerated in the Defense Department, and steps are being taken to ensure that, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said at a Pentagon press briefing.
Feb. 8, 2021 Austin Orders Military Stand Down to Address Challenge of Extremism in the Ranks A DOD-wide stand down will occur over the next 60 days so that each service, command and unit can take the time to have needed discussions about extremism in the ranks, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
May 11, 2020 USAF Thunderbirds to salute Texas COVID-19 responders May 13 The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, will honor frontline COVID-19 responders and essential workers with formation flights over San Antonio and Austin May 13.