Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a memo last week that was calling for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations of American troops. Austin ordered this because he wants United States military leaders to “impose ambitious timelines for implementation.”
More than 80,000 service members are still unvaccinated, according to Pentagon data.
In June, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) introduced HR 3860, which would prohibit a mandatory requirement that a member of the Armed Forces receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
“This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to require a member of the Armed Forces to receive a COVID-19 vaccination,” the bill states, which has 31 cosponsors. “The bill also prohibits adverse action (e.g., punishment) being taken against a member of the Armed Forces because the member refuses to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.”
On Friday, Massie hosted a roundtable discussion with a dozen members of the U.S. military so that they could air their concerns about the imminent vaccine mandate. These military members have remained anonymous so that they could avoid any backlash or retribution for their opinions on their COVID-19 vaccine. Massie’s office did fully vet each service member to make sure they were fully authentic before the conference call.
One soldier just happens to be a six-year veteran of the Air National Guard, and this individual also works as a front-line health care worker. They said, “The science is ignored in favor of a vax everyone at all costs position. Superiors are aware of the fact that soldiers with prior exposure to COVID have a better immunity response than could be achieved with a vaccine, yet it simply does not matter.”
Another anonymous service member who has been part of the military’s COVID-19 response unit for at least the last six months claimed, “The pressure from commanders to get people vaxxed is intense.”
This individual is trying to go through all of the red tape to obtain an exemption, but he is now alleging that there is daily harassment from commanders who are urging him to abandon that exemption request, as noted by the New American.
There is a Christian who joined the military out of sheer love of country, said his religious accommodation request had been denied by the Surgeon General of the Army and there was “no reason given.” The Army veteran vowed that they were going to take this all the way to federal court if they needed to.
A major that had 17 years of active service revealed that he contracted COVID-19 and recovered. This officer suffers from a heart condition, but even with that, they beat COVID-19. Although the major is still a few years away from retirement, they revealed the following: “Privately I’ve been told that I qualify for a medical exemption, but the pressure put on the medical staff is such that none of the doctors are willing to officially sign off.”
“This is total nonsense; we have thousands of soldiers deployed in combat zones overseas and none of them have received the COVID vaccine,” the furious major divulged. “They are still accomplishing the mission.”
Another reason would be because of an enlisted Navy man, who alleged that an officer told him, “You are the reason your mom and dad are going to die.” This individual has worked through the ranks to an Air Force E4 position, but they are concerned about getting the vaccine because one of their relatives died from a blood clot almost immediately after getting that vaccine.
“I wanted to serve my country and now I am looking at a result in which I am lumped in with felons and rapists, I won’t even be able to own a firearm,” the Navy man, who is still under contract, said.
Two of these service members say they are now being threatened with either a dishonorable discharge or a court-martial.