; and (2) who, during the period beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on February 24, 2023, submitted a request for a religious, administrative, or medical exemption from a requirement to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. 527. Reviews of characterization of administrative discharges of certain members on the basis of failure to receive COVID-19 vaccine (a) Mandatory review A board established under section 1553 of title 10, United States Code, shall grant a request pursuant to such section to review the characterization of a discharge or dismissal of a former member of a covered Armed Force if such discharge or dismissal was solely based on the failure of such former member to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19. (b) Covered Armed Force defined In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force. 528. Certain members discharged or dismissed on the sole basis of failure to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19: communication strategy regarding reinstatement process (a) Communication strategy required Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments or, with respect the Coast Guard, the Secretary of the department in which the Secretary is operating when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall communicate, to a covered individual, the current, established, process by which a covered individual may be reinstated in the covered Armed Force concerned. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered individual means an individual discharged or dismissed from a covered Armed Force on the sole basis of failure to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19. (2) The term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force. 529. Continuing military service for certain members eligible for chapter 61 retirement (a) In