WASHINGTON -  A Valley lawmaker who says he’ll introduce legislation permitting Ohio National Guard members to refuse a COVID-19 vaccination will likely face opposition from the Pentagon.

State Representative Mike Loychik, a Republican from Bazetta Township, announced on Wednesday that he plans to submit legislation this week that will ensure that National Guardsman will not be required to be vaccinated.

The bill will also state that no negative administrative or legal action may be taken against any guardsmen who refuses vaccination for COVID-19.

“At a time when we need everyone we have, it makes no sense to relieve or move around Guardsmen and potentially undermine the strength of our National Guard due to vaccine mandates,” said Loychik. “It’s time we stop the climb up mandate mountain and focus on better recruiting and utilizing Guardsmen appropriately in our country.”

Loychik says his bill is based on a similar declaration in Oklahoma regarding that state’s National Guard.

During two press briefings this week, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby addressed a statement from the Oklahoma Adjutant General that guardsmen will not be required to be vaccinated.  

At the time of the briefings, Kirby told reporters he was unaware of any state other than Oklahoma challenging the National Guard vaccine mandate.

Kirby told reporters that the Secretary of Defense has the authority he needs to require the vaccine across the military, including the National Guard.

“Because when they're called up for their monthly training, they're still federally funded,” said Kirby when asked about the Secretary of Defense’s authority in this matter. “So, he has those authorities.  And he believes and this is a larger point that a vaccinated force is a more ready force.”

“Just take a look at what the National Guard has done in just the last year alone, from disaster relief, wildfires, hurricane relief to assisting literally in putting shots in the arms of their fellow Americans.  They have been very, very busy. And they do meet key national security needs. So, it's important for them to get these vaccines,” said Kirby who said National Guard members who refuse to get the shot would be in the same potential as active-duty members who refuse the vaccine. “It's a lawful order, and they and they are subject to that order,” said Kirby.

Kirby told reporters that the Pentagon has been in touch with the general counsel, as well as the general counsel for the National Guard Bureau about the Oklahoma matter.

“Nobody's disputing that the Governor is the commander-in-chief of his or her National Guard in that state,” said Kirby. “But in order for the Guard to operate, it also has to be able to meet federal mission requirements.  So to go to school, official training or whatever your skillset is, to -- to train, to -- to contribute to national missions, to deploy -- all of that is in a federal status.  And so again, the Secretary can and has made a legal requirement for Guardsmen to get the vaccine.”

Kirby stated that members of the military who choose not to get the vaccine will face consequences, whether it's not allowing that individual to attend training, not being allowed to mobilize, not allowing an individual to go to a school, for instance, which Kirby said could have repercussions on that person's potential career track.