Sailors booted for vaccine refusal

The Navy has separated 20 sailors, all in their first 180 days of active-duty training, for continued refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine. The sailors are the first the Navy has separated. No other active-duty sailors have been separated due to vaccine refusal, although the executive officer of USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) was separated in December for failure to follow a lawful order to get vaccinated or tested for COVID. More than 8,000 members of the Navy continue to be unvaccinated, according to ta Navy update. There are 5,268 active-duty sailors and 2,980 reservists who are not considered fully vaccinated, which means they could be in the process of getting vaccinated, have an exemption or awaiting an exemption request to be adjudicated. The Navy has granted eight permanent medical exemptions for active-duty sailors and none for reservists. There are currently 242 active-duty temporary medical exemptions and nine reservists. There have also been 74 administrative exemptions granted for active duty and 31 for reservists. Although reservists and active-duty sailors have requested religious exemptions – more than 3,600 - the Navy has not granted a single religious exemption. The Marine Corps separated 206 Marines, while the Air Force has separated 27 airmen. (Source: USNI News 01/05/22)