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On September 3, over two dozen service members and veterans participated in a “Listening Session” with key leaders from the Department of Defense.
Retired Air Force Colonel John McAfee, who played a major role in the Commission on Military COVID-19 and Anthrax Policies (COMCAP), joined Kacy Dixon, a former Air Force intelligence officer and Judge Advocate General (JAG), as leaders of the group. Some were present at the Pentagon, while others joined via Zoom.
In a noticeable shift from the previous administration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, and USD (P&R) Senior Advisor Stuart Scheller were fully engaged in the discussions.
The meeting primarily aimed to address the reinstatement of former military personnel who were discharged due to the harsh enforcement of the “unlawful as implemented” COVID-19 vaccine mandate instituted by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August 2021.
Independent journalist Sam Shoemate shared a video recap of the event on X:
Update on what took place today during the COVID mandate reinstatement meeting. @SecDef @ajtata @stuartscheller pic.twitter.com/88CxfcwlPh
— Shoe (@samosaur) September 3, 2025
The Gateway Pundit spoke with Joshua Zermeno, a former U.S. Space Force officer who was forced to leave the military and who attended the meeting via Zoom. This 13-year veteran, who wrote DISOBEYING AN UNLAWFUL ORDER: A SPACE FORCE OFFICER’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, is seriously considering rejoining the military.
Zermeno noted, “All three leaders showed respect and composure, addressing a variety of issues with professionalism.” He highlighted Defense Secretary Hegseth’s genuine concern, emphasizing his desire to ensure that reported actions align with reality. Under Secretary Tata was actively listening, recognizing the need for a dedicated task force to handle reinstatement issues and committed to ongoing dialogue. “Stu Scheller made sure that everyone, whether in the room or on Zoom, could share their views, showing patience and respect, even when discussions veered off-topic.”
The most promising outcome for Zermeno was the confirmation from Tata and Scheller about creating a task force to tackle concerns related to the vaccine mandate and reinstatement process.
“Unfortunately, fewer than a dozen of the invited participants were actively seeking reinstatement,” he said. “While the meeting’s goal was to focus on the reinstatement process and explore improvements, conversations expanded to cover vaccine injuries, medical issues, legal concerns, policy discussions, and personal experiences from 2021 to 2023 during the mandate.”
“While these topics are crucial,” Zermeno remarked, “this unique meeting was meant to specifically address the challenges of reinstating former service members, but it got overshadowed by other mandate-related discussions.”
He suggested that multiple meetings should be held to separately address accountability, legal issues, injuries, and more. “Under Secretary Tata should act quickly to form a task force to handle all matters regarding vaccine mandates, as this would be a significant victory for affected service members and the Department of Defense.”
“The Defense Department has shown they are willing to listen, so now we need them to act on the feedback provided,” Zermeno stressed. “If the DoD wants to build trust with service members affected by the COVID mandate, they need to deliver real results.”
“I appreciate everyone who took part in and helped organize this meeting, and I am hopeful it will lead to meaningful progress,” he concluded.
Several participants were also pleased and have started sharing their thoughts on X. Here are a few examples:
Grateful to @SecDef @PeteHegseth, @USD_PR_HONTata, and @stuartscheller for listening to our anthrax & covid-era Vets and demonstrating unprecedented transparency and leadership for the first time in almost three decades.
Takeaways:
✔️ The paradigm change – sensed a sincere… pic.twitter.com/n2qxUQxwr8
— Thomas Rempfer (@rempfer_thomas) September 4, 2025
After the past four years, this is hard for me to say, and I am certainly not quick to hand out praise. Reassurance doesn’t manifest until something has actually been done and, to be clear, nothing has been done yet.
That said, today after looking Mr. Tata and @stuartscheller in… https://t.co/wzPMi731Ni
— Ted (@ted_macie) September 3, 2025
I’m grateful to @stuartscheller, @USD_PR_HONTata, and @SecDef for making time to hear from us today in the listening session re: COVID reinstatements.
There is a lot of work to do, and some wrongs can’t be made right. But amends matter, and can help the deepest wounds to heal.…
— Chase Spears (@DrChaseSpears) September 3, 2025
The Pentagon meeting with @SecDef, @USD_PR_HONTata, & @stuartscheller discussing the reinstatement of service members who separated bc of the COVID VAX mandate recently concluded. It went extremely well & I’m hopeful about the next steps. Please keep praying for success!
— John Frankman (@JohnFrankmanFL) September 3, 2025
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