LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds have joined three other governors in asking the Department of Defense to withdraw its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for National Guard members who have not been called up for federal service.

The letter addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, asked Austin to withdraw the mandate for Guard soldiers and airmen in Title 32, or “state active duty” status.

At the direction of President Joe Biden, Austin ordered all service branches on Aug. 24 to set deadlines for all service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations.

The deadlines have passed for active-duty members of the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force, as well as Air National Guard and reserves. December 15th was the deadline for active-duty Army soldiers.

The active-duty branches have all achieved vaccination rates of 95% or higher, and only a small percentage have refused the vaccine.

Guard officials say 94% of Nebraska Air National Guard airmen have fully complied with the vaccination order (with 1% more having received the first of two doses). In the Iowa Air National Guard, 91% of airmen have complied.

In both states, all Air National Guard members who haven’t gotten the vaccine have requested exemptions on religious or medical grounds.

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