Navy Stops Discharging Soldiers Who Refused COVID Vaccine
The US Navy will no longer be able to boot sailors who refuse the COVID-19 vaccination.
Thursday, January 12, 2012, Vice Adm. Richard J. Cheeseman Jr. was appointed Chief of Naval Personnel. All orders placed worldwide to “immediately discontinue administrative separation processing of Navy service members solely for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, including those with approved separation letters.”
The three-star ordered that all commands be halted “any new adverse administrative actions associated with refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Cheeseman’s latest move follows actions By CongressPresident Joe Biden and Defense secretary Lloyd J. Austin III To stop evicting service personnel who refuse to give the jab. Cheeseman’s order moves the Navy into alignment with a similar measure promulgated by Austin two days earlier.
Naval Hospital Bremerton held a SHOTEX, the medical center’s annual mass influenza and COVID-19 booster shot vaccination outreach, from Oct. 16 – 22, 2022. Douglas H Stutz, US Navy photo.
Last public update: This post was published on November 30, 2012., the Navy reported 2,258 active sailors and another 3,024 reservists weren’t vaccinated, but 385,282 active and reserve sailors had received the jab.
Navy officials spoke Thursday Coffee or Die Magazine Jan. 9 was the date that 2,065 sailors were approved for separation. They refused the vaccine.
All sailors separated were awarded “honorable characterization of service” on their discharges, but there’s a caveat to that.
They are prohibited from returning to the Navy, joining the reserve component, or joining any other branch of the military without a waiver by the reentry codes on their discharge forms.
At Naval Station Great Lakes, Command Master Chief Anthony Corey is given a flu shot. Officials in that area continue to consider changes to COVID-19 vaccination policy due to changes within the armed forces. Photo of the US Navy by Mass Communication Specialist 1st class Joseph E. Montemarano.
Officials reported Coffee or Die Senior leaders are still debating whether or not they might modify the discharge codes to reflect this new policy.
Recruit Training Command officials at Naval Station Great Lakes also are studying how they will inoculate the nation’s newest sailors, and accommodate those who refuse the shot.
“According to our instruction and policy, Recruit Training Command has halted the removal of recruits from training and separation processing for those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine as of 12 January, 2023,” Lt. Nicholas Lingo (Recruit Training Command spokesperson) sent an email to Coffee or Die. “Refusal of the vaccination is no longer a justification for separation.”
The Navy estimated that by November’s end, 202,085 sailors and civilian personnel had been infected with the COVID-19 virus. 195 of these people died.
17 sailors died from the virus.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with a statement by Recruit Training Command on January 13, 2023.
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