Lloyd J. Austin III, the secretary of defense, sent a letter Monday to Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma rejecting his request to exempt the state’s National Guard troops from an order for the entire force to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The letter, which was widely expected, sets the stage for troops in the state to lose their jobs should they refuse.
“One could elect not to take the vaccine, of course,” John Kirby, a spokesman for Mr. Austin, said on Monday, “but then you would be putting at jeopardy your ability to stay in the National Guard.”
Earlier this month, the newly appointed head of the National Guard in Oklahoma said that troops would not be required to get vaccinated. The policy defies a Pentagon directive that makes vaccination mandatory for all troops, including the National Guard, by deadlines set by each service branch.