{"id":34171,"date":"2021-08-11T17:21:39","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T17:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/08\/11\/no-indoor-dining-off-post-for-unvaccinated-fort-stewart-troops\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:45:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:45:13","slug":"no-indoor-dining-off-post-for-unvaccinated-fort-stewart-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/08\/11\/no-indoor-dining-off-post-for-unvaccinated-fort-stewart-troops\/","title":{"rendered":"No indoor dining off-post for unvaccinated Fort Stewart troops"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Unvaccinated soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, may no longer dine indoors off-post or they could face punitive action, according to a new general order released Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Stewart senior commander Maj. Gen. Charles Costanza, who commands the 3rd Infantry Division, announced new COVID-19 restrictions for the south Georgia installation in a Tuesday virtual town hall<\/a> on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unvaccinated troops are prohibited from more than just indoor dining off-post. Bars, nightclubs, event venues, movie theaters, amusement parts and tattoo parlors are also off-limits to those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield troops face renewed gathering restrictions, too. Indoor gatherings of ten or more people \u2014 regardless of vaccine status \u2014 are \u201chighly discouraged,\u201d in addition to outdoor social gatherings including more than 15 unvaccinated people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The renewed restrictions are among the strictest in the Army, representing a partial return to the sweeping shutdowns that took place before the vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And even soldiers on leave or pass must abide by the stricter rules, according to the order.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the town hall, installation senior leaders highlighted that the move was in response to rapidly dwindling hospital capacity and stagnant vaccination numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know [there\u2019s] going to be a lot of people who are…upset,\u201d said Command Sgt. Maj. Quentin Fenderson, the division\u2019s senior enlisted leader. \u201cBut at the end of the day, we really need to get everybody on board to get the vaccination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The director of the installation\u2019s Winn Army Community Hospital, Col. Julie Freeman, said that the surging Delta variant of the disease is affecting the hospital\u2019s operations. She said the hospital has had to coordinate out-of-state care in some recent cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur hospital systems in the community and in the state are stressed,\u201d Freeman told town hall attendees. \u201cOur emergency rooms and other areas of the hospital have been very busy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t