{"id":46162,"date":"2021-11-17T21:11:51","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T21:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/11\/17\/other-states-hesitant-to-defy-guards-covid-vaccine-mandate-like-oklahoma\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:27:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:27:49","slug":"other-states-hesitant-to-defy-guards-covid-vaccine-mandate-like-oklahoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/11\/17\/other-states-hesitant-to-defy-guards-covid-vaccine-mandate-like-oklahoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Other states hesitant to defy Guard\u2019s COVID vaccine mandate like Oklahoma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This story was updated at 4:54 p.m. EST with a statement from the Montana National Guard.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard made headlines when he issued a memo suspending the Defense Department\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for Guard troops in a Title 32 status last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move followed an order from the state\u2019s governor, Kevin Stitt, who previously asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin not to enforce the COVID-19 vaccine requirement on his troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stitt\u2019s letter to Austin<\/a> cited the \u201cpersonal freedoms of many Oklahomans\u201d and the potential readiness impact of discharging the \u201c800 Oklahoma guardsmen [who] have not and do not plan on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This left some observers concerned that other states whose governors had expressed opposition to vaccine mandates would implement similar policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But several states told Army Times on Wednesday that they won\u2019t be following suit. A number of other states did not immediately respond to similar queries made by email and phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\t