Rep. Matt Gaetz on Friday continued his battle against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over mandatory COVID-19 vaccines and Austin’s sudden and unaccountable disappearance from public life two months ago.
In an opinion article written for Breitbart News, the Fort Walton Beach Republican slammed the Pentagon chief for seeking “grace and forgiveness” for his undisclosed absence while seeking medical treatment, yet being unwilling to extend the same to 8,600 former troops who were booted from the service for refusing the COVID vax.
Austin entered the hospital on Dec. 22 for prostate surgery and was readmitted on Jan. 1 for a subsequent infection. His second trip to the hospital was not disclosed to President Joe Biden, Austin’s No. 2 who was overseas on vacation at the time, nor the American people until Jan. 5.
Gaetz noted that at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Austin cited a “personal health dilemma” as the reason he remained silent about that second trip to the hospital.
Yet Gaetz argued Austin’s hypocrisy was on full display when, under questioning from the congressman, he refused to reinstate discharged troops because they wanted to protect their own personal health by not getting jabbed, as President Joe Biden demanded.
To counteract Austin’s defiance, Gaetz wrote that he’s pushing to redirect $200 million from the Pentagon’s budget bill and “repurpose” that to fund the reinstatement, back pay, and “hardship bonuses” of troops Austin kicked out for vaccine refusal.
Gaetz also raised the issue of Austin’s dereliction of duty.
“What Austin’s narrative fails to acknowledge is that his significant breach of protocol and regulations, such as the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Uniform Code of Military Justice, regarding unauthorized absences known as going ‘AWOL,’ and statutes mandating the reporting of vacancies and duty performance,” Gaetz wrote.
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“Austin’s actions, coupled with Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks’ refusal to return to the continental United States to perform the duties of secretary, left the United States’ defense leadership effectively rudderless. This incident underscores a concerning lack of accountability at the apex of our defense establishment, raising serious questions about the implications of such lapses on national security.”
“Some people may be tempted to give Austin the grace he seeks given the delicate nature of his medical condition,” Gaetz continued.
“But let’s not forget his and his department’s callous and destructive behavior toward the roughly 8,600 service members who also had to make a deeply personal medical: the refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
“These 8,600 service members were unceremoniously removed from the Armed Forces due to this Secretary of Defense. They received, in some cases, general discharges (or worse), preventing them from receiving the medical and educational benefits their service deserves—which, in many such cases, would be transferred to their children for their betterment.” Gaetz added.
Gaetz pointed out that when he asked Austin about reinstating the troops with full back pay and benefits, he simply replied, “No, I won’t.”
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Blasts Sec. Austin For Refusing To Reinstate Troops Who Refused COVID Vax
“It’s now time for the secretary to face consequences and accountability for his most recent failure: Austin should not be above the standards he holds the department he leads to,” Gaetz argued in the op-ed.
“For perspective, service members under Austin’s command are subject to a whole host of penalties for going AWOL. For such an offense, a service member can be fined and risk his or her salary being forfeited. The service member can even be imprisoned for going absent without notifying his or her chain of command.”
“There is a trail of failure and destruction behind Austin like a shadow on a sunny day. Unfortunately, Austin will likely escape accountability, as all senior officers routinely do. There are not many more positions for him to fail up into, and this will likely end with him becoming the senior advisor or Chairman to some defense contractor or lobbying firm.”
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“Ultimately, however, if Austin is to receive the grace he sought this week, it most certainly should also be extended to the 8,600 service members who were discharged from the military for making a personal medical decision,” Gaetz concluded.
“It’s long past time for Congress to grant these service members the grace Austin seeks for himself but hypocritically refuses to extend to others.”
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