Following US Navy’s Change to Vaccine Mandate Policy, US Marine Corps Follows

 

  SEALs seeking the exemption would be barred from training, traveling for deployment and conducting other standard business thus making them un-deployable.

Now the US Marine Corps has announced changes to their policies. Marines who decline the Covid vaccine for religious reasons will no longer be punished.

The New York Post reports that, “The administrative order also states that a Marine’s vaccination status cannot be used against them in fitness reports or other performance evaluations.”

The Epoch Times reports: 

The U.S. Marine Corps issued guidance to roll back its strict punishments for service members who are seeking COVID-19 vaccine exemptions.

In guidance posted online on Sept. 14, the “Marine Corps will not enforce any order to accept COVID-19 vaccination, administratively separate, or retaliate against Marines in the class for asserting statutory rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”

That guidance was changed following a recent Florida federal court order that temporarily blocked the Marines from taking action against individuals who seek a religious exemption. The latest guidance posted by the Marines made reference to that order, which was handed down in August.

“Involuntary administrative separation processing of class members for refusing COVID-19 vaccination is suspended,” the memo also said, while it directs commanders to “pause all administrative actions related to the involuntary separation of a class member, regardless of the current status of the separation process.”

Listing several examples, the Marine guidance added that “no orders will be given to receive the vaccine, no counselings will be issued for refusing the vaccine, no administrative separation boards will be conducted,” and no discharges will be issued.

The order was issued in a Florida court,  Marines, however, could still be at risk of separation if the order is revoked at a later date.

The decision comes as every branch of the US military struggles to meet 2022 recruiting goals.

The Heritage Foundation’s Thomas Spoehr, retired Army Lt. General and director of Heritage’s Center for National Defense, spoke about these concerns in July.

Speaking about the struggle to meet recruitment goals, Spoehr said, “It’s about as serious as it’s ever been since the start of the all volunteer army and military in 1973. It’s never been this bad before.  And frankly, we have seen this coming for a while, but I think the Pentagon has really ignored the warning signs.”

Perhaps they should spend less time worrying about being woke, and more time worrying about providing enough military personnel to protect the country.