Pentagon’s Handling of Vaccine Mandate Motivates Veterans, Military Families to Run for Office

A desire to continue defending the Constitution is another factor spurring veterans to seek political office.

Members of the The United States Marine Corps wait in line to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Camp Hansen in Kin, Japan, on April 28, 2021. Carl Court/Getty Images

Veterans and a military spouse running for Congress say that the Pentagon’s handling of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, along with the individuals’ desire to continue serving their country, has motivated them to seek political office.

Mara Macie, who grew up in Massachusetts, worked for a family business until 2006. Mrs. Macie said she witnessed “the failure of our Congress” firsthand when her husband and other service members reached out to their representatives in Congress in opposition to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the military, which has since been rescinded.