The Military’s Broken Trust

What happens when trust between service members and leadership is broken?

In this conversation, Stephen Simmons shares his experience navigating the military’s COVID vaccine mandate. He reveals how service members were denied exemptions, pressured into compliance, and faced discharge for standing by their convictions. More than just a policy, this mandate reshaped careers, fractured trust, and raised deep ethical and constitutional concerns.

Stephen details how chaplains—meant to support service members in their faith—were instead used to scrutinize and challenge their religious beliefs. He recounts being interrogated over minor details of his faith, an experience that highlighted the deeper betrayal of the military’s moral contract.

Beyond personal struggles, this conversation exposes the broader implications: the weakening of military readiness, the erosion of faith in leadership, and the long-term impact on those who served. How does an institution rebuild trust after such a divide?

What do you think? How can those discharged over the mandate have their trust in the military leadership restored? Share your thoughts below.