Washington (AP) — As military and defense civilians are approaching the deadline to obtain the mandated COVID-19 vaccine, senior leaders are now destined for those who flatly reject shots or seek exemptions. And must wrestle with how to make sure they are treated fairly and equally.
The majority of active units received at least one shot, but tens of thousands did not. For some, it may be a decision to end their career. Others may face requirements for transfer, travel restrictions, deployment restrictions, and repayment of bonuses.
The decision to exempt for medical, religious and administrative reasons is made by unit commanders around the world, based on what the Pentagon says is “case by case.” It promotes vaccine obligations that are considered important for maintaining healthy power, but is a nuisance for military leaders who want to avoid unplanned and inconsistent approaches with those who refuse. Causes problems.
Brig. General Darin Cox, Inspector of the Army, said the commander wanted to make sure they were in compliance with the rules.
“For some of the susceptibility of this particular vaccine, we ensure that we are consistently fair in dealing with the punishment, which is the” effect of continuing to refuse valid orders. ” I think I just wanted to guarantee it.
Military vaccination rates are higher than those of the general population in the United States, and the reasons for opposition-often based on false information-are similar to those heard nationwide. However, unlike most civilians, military personnel need to be vaccinated with as many as 17 vaccines on a daily basis, and refusal will result in penalties.
Military service reports that 1% to 7% remain unvaccinated. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is seeking compassion for dealings with these troops, with a total of about 60,000 active military personnel, according to data released last week. According to authorities, the number varies daily, including those who may have obtained or requested a tax exemption. They refused to say how many troops were still seeking tax exemptions or refusing vaccines.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby was asked about variations in treatment for those seeking tax exemptions and those refusing vaccines, but said it was service-dependent. “Each case will be treated as specific and individual as it should be,” he said.
It is unclear how widely religious exemptions are accepted. Under military rules, commanders can take into account the potential impact on a unit’s mission and deny religious exemptions if it jeopardizes performance.
The commander can also transfer service members to another job, refuse to expand overseas, restrict access to the unit if exempted or while reviewing a request. These steps can be more common in smaller units, such as special operations units, which are usually deployed in small numbers.
The Navy refused the shot and warned that non-exempt seafarers may need to reimburse bonuses and other monetary payments under existing military legal procedures for non-compliance with legitimate orders. bottom. Other services are expected to follow similar steps.
Unvaccinated troops are also subject to regular tests, distance guidelines and, in some cases, travel bans.
The Air Force first reached its deadline, which could be a test case in some cases. Over 335,000 Air National Guard and Space Force guardians must be fully vaccinated by Tuesday, and Air National Guard and reserve forces must be vaccinated by December 2. .. Some have requested or obtained an exemption, while others have refused it altogether. They must request an exemption until Monday.
Air Force Colonel Robert Corby, commander of the 28th Medical Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base, said injection appointments at the base clinic had doubled after the vaccine was mandated in late August. He said the military had a series of questions and concerns, with commanders, ministers, and medical personnel providing the information.
“I think you have a segment of the population that you don’t really think is at risk for COVID-19,” he added.
Air Force Captain Molly Laura, a pastor of the 28th Bombing Wing, said “a very small percentage” were seeking religious exemptions at the base. “People are just trying to understand how this new requirement fits into their belief system and the decisions they want to make,” she said.
More than 765,000 Pentagon civilians approach behind the Air Force and will be required to be vaccinated on 22 November. Supervisors are working on the complex task of checking and recording the status of workers’ vaccines and deciding who will be the finalist. Exempt arbiter.
Civilians need to seek tax exemption until November 8, and as of last week, less than half submitted evidence of vaccination. Those who refuse the vaccine and are not exempt from tax will be given a five-day grace period for counseling. If you still refuse, you may be suspended unpaid for up to 14 days and dismissed.
The number of vaccinations varies with military service and is significantly reduced for National Guard and reserve forces.
More than half of the Army National Guard have received at least one shot, compared to 87% of the Air National Guard. Air National Guard members must be fully vaccinated by early December, while Army National Guard members are much larger and widely scattered throughout the country, but by June.
The most successful service is the Navy, which states that as of last week, only 1% of its troops, or about 3,500 seafarers, were unvaccinated. The Air Force and Space Force were second, 3.6% unvaccinated, followed by the Army and Marine Corps at about 7%.
Admiral Michael Gildi, Chief of Naval Operations, told The Associated Press that some warships had vaccination rates of 98% -99%, even before shooting was mandated.
“We feel like we’ve been leading the overall service,” he said. “We have been promoting the vaccine since we started vaccination in the January time frame of December last year.” For those who do not want the vaccine, “When those challenges come up, we individually We will deal with them, “he said.
Marine Corps Colonel Speros Kumparakis, commander of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, said less than 20 Marines had requested an exemption at the base, most of them seeking religious exemptions.
He said the minister and the minister have become available for discussing religious issues, and he makes the first review of any request. But in the end, the HR leader at Virginia’s Marine Corps base Quantico could make the decision.
Approximately 350,000 Navy sailors and more than 179,000 Marines must be fully vaccinated by 28 November and reserves must be fully vaccinated by 28 December. Vaccination. Army National Guard and Reserves are available until June 30, 2022. The Army accounts for more than 520,000 people, with a total of about 800,000 guards and reserves.
The military considers penalties for those who refuse the COVID vaccine | WGN Radio 720
Source link The military considers penalties for those who refuse the COVID vaccine | WGN Radio 720
The post The military considers penalties for those who refuse the COVID vaccine | WGN Radio 720 appeared first on Illinois News Today.
No comments:
Post a Comment