Military

Recruits With COVID-19 History Will Be Rejected by Military, Says Memo

However, recruits who have recovered from the disease may still be able to get a waiver that lets them sign up, according to a defense official

U.S. Marine recruits stand in formation as they wait in line for health screenings at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) on April 13, 2020
Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

A Pentagon memo that says a COVID-19 diagnosis “permanently” disqualifies recruits from joining the military is actually “interim guidance” and recruits who have recovered from the disease may still be able to get a waiver that lets them sign up, according to a defense official.

The official did not say how long the interim guidance would be in place.

The memo from the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command says that a “history of COVID-19, confirmed by either a laboratory test or clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying.” The memo was issued Wednesday and was first reported by The Military Times.

According to the defense official, anyone who has been hospitalized would be “medically disqualified and would need a service waiver to join the military.”

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

Contact Us