Minnesota
Vaccination deadline for Minnesota National Guard looms on Thursday
As many as 600 members of the Minnesota Military and Air Nationwide Guard nonetheless haven’t been vaccinated simply three days earlier than a deadline to take action or be compelled out of the navy.
Nationally, as much as 40,000 members of the Nationwide Guard are unvaccinated and in peril of the identical destiny.
“Individuals are our best power and essentially the most helpful useful resource required to carry out our mission,” Lt. Col. Kristen Auge, Minnesota Nationwide Guard’s State Public Affairs Officer, mentioned in a press release to five EYEWITNESS NEWS.
“Being vaccinated protects the well being and welfare of our men and women to defend our Nation’s freedom. Greater than 95% of the Minnesota Nationwide Guard power is vaccinated towards the COVID-19 virus. Of the lower than 5% not vaccinated, almost 2% of the service members requested spiritual or medical lodging. These requests are awaiting disposition from the Departments of the Military and Air Drive. Roughly 3% of service members have refused the vaccination. The Minnesota Nationwide Guard continues to work with service members who’ve reservations in regards to the vaccination with dignity and respect.”
Lt. Col. Kristen Auge, Minnesota Nationwide Guard
Nobody from the Minnesota Nationwide Guard was made out there for an interview.
One former member of the 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minnesota Air Nationwide Guard talked to five Eyewitness Information by telephone below the situation of remaining nameless. The airman informed 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS of an curiosity in re-enlisting on the finish of this yr however declined to be vaccinated and had a request for a spiritual exemption rejected. “Our mission readiness is certainly impacted by this,” the previous Guard member mentioned.
Final yr the Protection Division ordered all branches of the navy to get vaccinated, together with the Nationwide Guard. In accordance with a latest Related Press report, about 40,000 Nationwide Guard members stay unvaccinated, or about 13%.