Army Doctor Investigates Service Member Deaths Linked to COVID Vaccines

An Army doctor is investigating whether U.S. service members died from COVID-19 vaccines following a Biden-era mandate.

Dr. Theresa Long testified in a federal court deposition on August 14 that she is probing 2,544 unverified deaths reported to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Long stated that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth selected her to be Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s senior medical military adviser.

Long also testified that she personally knows of 28 individuals who died due to the COVID vaccine, though she could not provide further details. She hopes to complete her research into potential vaccine-related health complications within a year. The investigation is occurring as the Trump administration revisits the COVID vaccine mandate for members of the armed forces.

Hegseth established a task force in May to assist service members removed from the military over the vaccine requirement who seek to return. As of April, nearly 170 service members had been reinstated or re-accessed, with over 800 former service members expressing interest in returning. The Pentagon referred inquiries to HHS, which did not immediately respond. The Department of War stated it has nothing to announce regarding Long’s role.