The National Guard lost about 7,500 members in the last year due to several factors, including Covid-19 vaccination legislation. According to official Army data, 9,835 soldiers refused to receive the vaccine.
Army National Guard Force Maintenance Division deputy chief, Anson D. Smith, stated that the reserve force could lose up to 14,000 soldiers from their ranks due to Covid-19 regulations: 9,000 in 2023 and 5,000 in 2024.
So far, the National Guard has not discharged anyone for refusing to get vaccinated, since the Army has not yet communicated how to proceed in this regard, as Smith explained:
Right now, we haven't had any discharges because of COVID, because we still, again, are waiting on the phase two memorandum from the secretary of the Army before we get into who will be discharged based off refusals [to take the Covid vaccine.]
More retirements than enlistments
The problem with the loss of troops in the National Guard is related to more soldiers retiring than enlisting. And it could get worse.
National Guard Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Rich Baldwin noted that the current personnel difficulties are the worst he has seen in the last 20 years (referring to the lack of enlistments) and that "the difficulties may increase in the next year or two."
Baldwin added that the targets set on the total number of troops were not met in the Army National Guard. The Army National Guard fell two percent short of the target of 336,000 soldiers and the Air Force fell three percent short of the target of 108,300 soldiers.
The other active military services also had trouble meeting membership targets. Therefore, they recruited soldiers from their delayed entry programs.
Only 23% comply with enlistment requirements
The head of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, assured that "only 23 percent of what [they] consider primary military, age 18 to 24, even meet the requirements to join the U.S. military."
The challenges that the National Guard is facing are evident. "If you look at last year and the years prior to that, we have always met our authorized end strength, and it's is probably due to a myriad of factors that affect all services," Hokanson said.
