Active duty soldiers at Fort Riley may soon be mandated to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Gen. Perry Wiggins, who heads up Gov. Laura Kelly’s military council spoke about the potential mandate Thursday on KMAN’s In Focus.
According to the New York Times, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said previously he would not be comfortable with a mandate until vaccines are fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, after a returning from Asia this week, Mr. Austin reportedly asked military services how and when they would go about putting a mandate in place.
Wiggins says vaccine mandates are not a new concept for troops.
Fort Riley Commanding General D.A. Sims also recently imposed General Order No. 12 requiring masks indoors for all personnel regardless of vaccination status.
If Secretary Austin makes the final recommendation, President Joe Biden would have to grant a waiver for the Defense Department to administer vaccines prior to full FDA approval. The decision could come as early as Friday.
