War Department Extends COVID-19 Reinstatement to 2027 and Halves Return Obligation

Overview

• The reinstatement and return‑to‑service window now runs through April 1, 2027, giving former troops an additional year to come back.
• The active‑service commitment for returnees drops from four years to two years, with the reduction applied retroactively in most cases.
• Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed the Army, Navy and Air Force to recontact eligible former service members within 60 days to outline the updated offer.
• The effort follows President Donald J. Trump’s executive order and builds on guidance first issued last April inviting separated personnel to rejoin.
• The department is correcting some discharge characterizations and notes that certain involuntarily separated members remain eligible for compensation after nearly 8,000 were removed under the 2021 mandate.