The new lottery applies to military, military staff and family members who were vaccinated through the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, or the National Guard.
The voluntary COVID-19 vaccine effort stands in stark contrast to the Pentagon’s mandatory Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, which began in 1998. Those who refused often faced harsh penalties.
Nearly 94 percent of service members who get a first dose of the vaccine complete their second dose, but certain demographic groupings are far more hesitant to get vaccinated at all.