Ineffective Covid Policies Badly Affecting US Military Readiness
Destroyer can’t deploy because CO won’t get COVID vaccine as 1000 Marines separated because of decision not to get covid vaccine.
As pundits transition from being experts on covid to being experts on military tactics, it might be a good time to look at the consequences of the Biden administration’s policies regarding covid on US military readiness.
To begin with, the US Navy cannot deploy a Norfolk, Va.-based warship after a federal judge ruled the service commanders are prohibited from acting against the ship’s captain for refusing the coronavirus vaccine.
The Navy commander, identified only by his rank in court papers, filed a lawsuit in the Middle District of Florida in October with several other service members seeking relief from the military’s coronavirus vaccine mandate on religious grounds.
The commander later broke off from the class-action suit, refiling in January with an unnamed Marine lieutenant colonel to challenge the military’s vaccine mandate.
Last month, District Judge Steven Merryday granted a preliminary injunction barring the Navy from requiring the commander or the lieutenant colonel to take the vaccine or issuing “any punitive or retaliatory measure against [them] pending a final judgment in the case.”
The Navy on Feb. 28 asked Merryday for an emergency stay on the injunction, arguing the order prevents the service “from removing an officer from … commanding officer billets who the military has deemed unfit for command,” according to court documents.
Given the waning vaccine effectiveness over time, the fact that covid is at its most serious among elderly people or those with comorbidities, why is there a continued insistence on vaccinations? This is especially true in the wake of covid striking vaccinated and boosted luminaries (such as former President Bararck Obama).
While conflicts around the world abound, and enhancing the readiness of the US military should be a priority, Biden’s military leaders are opting to enforce an ineffective mandate that has just cost this country the service of 1,000 Marines.
The Marine Corps has now separated more than 1,000 Marines due to refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Marine Corps separated 165 Marines over the past week due to their refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19. At 1,038, the Marine Corps leads the military branches for the most separations.
The Navy comes in second with a total of 469 separations, which includes 50 this past week. Of the separations this week, 24 had served for more than six years, while 26 served for less than six years. The highest rank was chief petty officer, said Lt. Travis Callaghan, spokesperson for chief of naval personnel, in an email.
The US Army is the only military branch that hasn’t booted out one of its service personnel because of the vaccine mandate. Lawsuits in play are preventing more of a purge.
The Air Force has separated 205 active-duty airmen, according to its weekly update. The Army has not yet separated a soldier.
The Navy, as well as the other branches, potentially could have more sailors that it would separate for refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but there are currently lawsuits preventing punitive action against a handful of service members who have refused to get vaccinated due to religious objections.
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Comments
Having Joe Biden as president badly effecting everything.
It’s a little late, but I’m happy to see courts are starting to pay attention to science. Because I’m certain they’re really not making the rulings for freedom of religion reasons.
At this point, based on science, all covid vaccinations should be halted. Period.
Don’t forget the service members being found nonresponsive on bases.
There is another factor affecting readiness. Given the nature of those in charge of our military, with COVID as one factor, is that those adults who advise those of military age considering enlisting are not nearly as likely to be advising them to join. Which means fewer enlistees.
Subotai Bahadur
I can guarantee 100% they aren’t.
s/ MMC USN(ret)
Me too.
LCDR USN(Ret)
I spent 27 years in uniform, much of it in combat zones. The chances of me allowing one of my family members to enter service under the current govt and military “leadership” without a fight and some home-truths being told are nil.
“why is there a continued insistence on vaccinations”
Because too many people think they can make their own decisions instead of obeying the collective! They will learn, or else!
And who needs a military anyway? Putin is only attacking Ukraine. He’d be insane to come after us!
Note to Putin:
Nuke Pfizer, Moderna.
Phase 3: Success!
Is it part of the plan by the left to emasculate the U.S.?
HANLON’S RAZOR: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
I would add that one should never discount malice, as the two are not mutually exclusive, especially for the left.
“Plan”?
More like a fait acommpli. See: Barack Obama; Joe Biden; Nancy Pelosi; Mittens Romney; et al
It also makes no sense to assume major officials and heads of important industries are stupid.
This does not hurt them. At least not a direct easily metriced way, so it might as well not exist.
Is the DOD mandate a lawful order? Having served as JAG, I’m not convinced that it is, at least as it is being implemented.
First, the services have, in my view, not adequately implemented a workable policy for reviewing requests for religious exemptions. While you could expect that many requests might be denied, the number granted is far too low when considering those on active duty or serving in the Reserves or National Guard.
Second, the rushed approval for this vaccination lacks credible evidence that there are no long-range side effects. The standard path to vaccination approval is much longer and requires numerous studies.
Third, the FDA and CDC call the injections vaccines; however, they are closer to gene therapy. These shots do not prevent transmission any more than masks.
Fourth, a lawful order should never result in large numbers of general conduct charges when vaccination refusal is based either on religious belief or fear that a military member has over the efficacy of the injection.
Fifth, you do not lose your Constitutional Rights upon entering the service.
If an order is issued and a member refuses to follow it, they should face court-martial rather than immediate separation.
A lawful order should not hinder force readiness or lower morale. The Navy’s reasoning for failing to deploy a warship is not sound, given that the argument presented to the court cites national security as a reason for removing the commander. If the vessel is ready for sea, deploy it in all other aspects, particularly given the international tension resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.
That’s a tough one. Anyone remember the relatively untested Anthrax Vaccine service members were forced to take prior to Gulf War I? None of us wanted it but orders are orders. I don’t recall anyone successfully resisting it in court but I know plenty of people who are suffering negative results from it.
Would the results have been worse without it if we had been hit with those weapons? I don’t know, because I have no idea how effective it was. But if I was the commander I’d have wanted to give my people their best chance at survival.
I guess what is weighed in the balance is due diligence vs. potential threat and that decision is the purview of the commander. However, I fully recognize that our Govt has always been willing to use their captive military audience as test subjects and to make political points, some good, some very bad.
The DOD’s stance on COVID is NOT based on science, logic, or common sense!!!! And the policies are intentional destructive.
There is no evidence that healthy fighting age adults are greatly affected by COVID. Just look at the USS Roosevelt. 40% of the sailors and Marines tested positive. Of the 40%, 70-80% displayed no symptoms meaning they didn’t even know they had COVID until they were tested. And as far as I know, no one died. I looked at Air Force statistics for Active Duty service members for 2020. More active duty service members died from the Physical Fitness exam in 2019 than died from COVID in 2020!
Please don’t forget that we are talking about healthy young people getting the omicron variant.
The risk of death to these people is very close to zero.
Even if the entire ship would get sick at the same time, they will be back to full readiness in 10 days.
Why force vaccines on to these people?
Especially as losing so many will hurt readiness.
Biden policies only makes sense when viewed through the lens of America last