Army, Alabama National Guard stand pat on vaccine mandate — ‘It’s…

Regardless of different army branches starting to loosen or pause restrictions on COVID-19 vaccine exemption requests, the Alabama Nationwide Guard hasn’t obtained any change in steerage on the problem but.

In accordance with the Marine Corps Instances, the Marine Corps is suspending any administrative actions towards sure Marines in search of a non secular exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine — much like what the Navy did earlier this yr. 

Nevertheless, nothing a lot has modified on the problem within the Military and Alabama Nationwide Guard.

Sandra Lucas, deputy director of public affairs for the Alabama Nationwide Guard, advised 1819 Information that “right now, we now have not obtained a change to the steerage offered to us.”

On July 1, the U.S. Military introduced that the June 30 COVID-19 vaccination deadline for Military Guardsmen and Reserve troopers had handed and that reserve part troopers “could not take part in federally funded drills and coaching and won’t obtain pay or retirement credit score.” Over 300 spiritual exemption requests had been submitted by members of the Alabama Military and Air Nationwide Guard as of June, in keeping with a letter despatched to President Joe Biden by Gov. Kay Ivey requesting a halt to the deadline.

“I’ve not heard whether or not something has modified concerning the Military or Alabama Nationwide Guard,” Matt Clark, president of the Alabama Middle for Regulation and Liberty and an legal professional, advised 1819 Information. “My guess is they’re watching to see what occurs with the Navy SEAL case within the Fifth Circuit and the Marine case within the eleventh Circuit. Nevertheless, that is only a guess.”

The Alabama Middle for Regulation and Liberty filed an amicus temporary final month in protection of a gaggle of Navy SEALs dealing with self-discipline or discharge over their spiritual objections to the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the army.

In accordance with the Navy Instances, the Protection Division’s inspector common has issues that service authorities rushed by means of COVID-19 vaccine exemption requests, issuing blanket denials with out reviewing every case individually, in keeping with a memo to Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin in June. The letter from performing DoD Inspector Normal Sean O’Donnell warns Austin that early findings of a evaluation of the waiver course of confirmed “generalized assessments slightly than the individualized evaluation that’s required by Federal legislation and DoD and Navy service insurance policies.”

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) signed a letter with different Home Republicans to Austin final week to “specific our grave concern over the impact of the Division of Protection’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate on the readiness of our Armed Forces, notably the U.S. Military.”

“Our recruitment for the yr … we’re 75,000 service members brief in recruitment this previous yr,” Dr. Stewart Tankersley, a doctor in Montgomery and a retired Colonel within the Alabama Nationwide Guard, advised 1819 Information. “On the similar time, they’re desirous to kick out 60,000 reserve part troopers for not getting it. It is insane.”

To attach with the creator of this story, or to remark, e-mail caleb.taylor@1819News.com.

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