After enduring years of scrutiny for questioning the efficacy of the non-FDA-approved, Emergency Use experimental COVID-19 shot, an Army helicopter pilot has finally prevailed under new leadership within the Department of War—just weeks before a scheduled involuntary retirement on October 6.
As a Chief Warrant Officer 3, Brandon Budge was placed under non-medical, administrative flight suspension following his refusal to accept the consequences of a flawed and incomplete investigation based on the illegal military COVID mandate. During that same period, he received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand (GOMOR), which caused the Special Selections Review Board to strip him of a promotion he had earned and been selected for in the 2021 promotion board.
On September 5, The Gateway Pundit was the first outlet to report that Budge’s GOMOR had been revoked. Even then, uncertainty remained. Without restoration of his promotion, his career still hung in the balance.
However, in a move that would have been unprecedented in the previous administration, a rightfully earned promotion has been backdated by more than three years to restore the advancement of his 22-year career. Incredibly, the Secretary of the Army’s office thoroughly reviewed the relevant evidence that was provided by Budge and his counsel, Lt. Col. (Ret.) R. Davis Younts, to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR). The office acted quickly to guarantee that justice was served, ruling in favor of Budge.
According to today’s press release, the order corrects Budge’s professional record and will allow him to serve or retire as the Army sees fit.
A September 15 X post from Younts Law Firm shares CW4 Budge’s “journey of resilience, [reflecting] both resilience and integrity in the face of profound injustice”:
HUGE WIN FOR OUR CLIENT! CW4 Brandon Budge, a 22-year Army Black Hawk pilot & combat vet, has been fully restored: backdated promotion to CW4 (eff. 2/1/22), record corrected, back pay, & continued service after battling Biden’s unlawful COVID mandate & retaliation. Resilience… pic.twitter.com/wgTcVxzxYd
— R. Davis Younts (@DavisYounts) September 15, 2025
The Gateway Pundit interviewed the newly promoted Chief Warrant Officer 4 Budge, who was officially elevated to this rank by the Department of the Army on September 9. Emphasizing his views do not reflect those of the Department of War or the Department of the Army, CW4 Budge expressed his deep, personal gratitude towards the individuals mentioned in the press release, whose leadership and advocacy were instrumental in restoring his career.
Above all, he expressed his gratitude to his wife and children for standing by him during this challenging time and for their unwavering support. He also emphasized the vital roles of Davis Younts, attorney; J.M. Phelps, investigative journalist; Stuart Scheller, Senior Advisor to the War Department Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness; Derrick Anderson, Acting Assistant Army Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Maj. Adam Dortona, an infantry officer and mentor; Gen. Randy George, Army Chief of Staff; and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mike Flynn, a former national security advisor.
“I don’t think any of it would have fixed itself unless people were relentless in their approach to correcting the wrongs that have occurred over the last four years,” he admitted. “It also took people like President Donald Trump and Secretary [of Health and Human Services] Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to create the environment necessary for someone like [War] Secretary Hegseth to make the declaration that the COVID-19 shot was illegally implemented.” In his opinion, “That’s what allowed others to provide the relief that was sought even when BCMR was unwilling to do so.”
“If it weren’t for someone overturning the decision I got from BCMR, to which I submitted extensive evidence to exonerate myself that went unacknowledged, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” CW4 Budge pointed out. “And for that, I am extremely thankful.”
For Younts, “CW4 Brandon Budge’s victory is a testament to the power of perseverance and justice.” He told The Gateway Pundit, “The backdated promotion and restoration of his record correct a grave injustice caused by an unlawful mandate and a flawed investigation.”
“We are grateful for the courageous leadership of Secretary Hegseth and the Office of the Secretary of the Army for ensuring accountability and restoring Brandon’s career,” Younts shared. “This outcome sends a clear message: Service members who stand by their principles will not be silenced, [adding that] the meticulous advocacy before the ABCMR, combined with media coverage and political support, exposed the abuses of the COVID-19 mandate era and secured this rightful restoration for CW4 Budge.”
Looking ahead, the Black Hawk helicopter pilot has expressed a willingness to help clear the backlog of cases like his, allowing others to gain relief as well.
The post EXCLUSIVE: With War Secretary Hegseth at the Helm, Army Helicopter Pilot Who Objected to the COVID-19 Shot Emerges Victorious appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.