{"id":1503244,"date":"2022-06-04T08:34:11","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T12:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1503244"},"modified":"2022-06-04T08:34:16","modified_gmt":"2022-06-04T12:34:16","slug":"air-force-members-file-suit-after-being-denied-religious-exemption-from-covid-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/air-force-members-file-suit-after-being-denied-religious-exemption-from-covid-vaccine\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force Members File Suit After Being Denied Religious Exemption From COVID Vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fair-force-members-file-suit-after-being-denied-religious-exemption-from-covid-vaccine%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1503244&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><\/div>\n<p>You can\u2019t open a social media app on your phone without seeing the smiling faces of brand new college graduates full of hope and wonder.<\/p>\n<p>Unless you are an Air Force Academy cadet who refused the COVID vaccine under religious exemption.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/air-force-cadets-refused-covid-vaccine-graduate-wont-receive-commissions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Three such cadets were allowed to graduate this year<\/a> but were not allowed to attend the ceremony and are also being refused their subsequent commission as new Air Force officers.<\/p>\n<p>It seems odd to turn down new leaders in the military when this country is facing rising tensions with two near-peer adversaries across both oceans. Do these three cadets have any hope of retaining their commission?<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sen. Rubio introduces bill to protect Air Force Cadets from punishment for refusing Covid-19 vaccine<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QWRPfubSOV\">https:\/\/t.co\/QWRPfubSOV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 RSBN \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@RSBNetwork) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RSBNetwork\/status\/1530926944459468801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/air-force-base-grudgingly-cancels-drag-queen-story-hour-at-base-library\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Air Force Base Grudgingly Cancels \u2018Drag Queen Story Hour\u2019 At Base Library<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)<\/h3>\n<p>Service members who have been denied their religious exemption requests and subsequently discharged have been fighting back under the RFRA of 1993. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/103rd-congress\/house-bill\/1308\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The RFRA<\/a> was meant to protect individuals\u2019 religious freedoms against government laws that run counter to their beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>Air Force members have filed a class-wide temporary restraining order meant to halt their discharge from the military while they file their religious exemptions. So far, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/national\/air-force-service-members-sue-over-covid-vaccine-mandate\/article_653665ee-e11d-11ec-8a69-437d609de7b9.html?utm_source=Master+List&#038;utm_campaign=ea27f4ef0e-NATIONAL_B2C_NEWSLETTER&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_term=0_d03ba9ddf1-ea27f4ef0e-79382841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Air Force has granted 68 religious exemptions<\/a>. Compare that to the 6,113 denied and the over 2,000 that are still pending.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I hope they win! This is religious discrimination and it should NOT be tolerated in America\u2026period!<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HJp1APOraZ\">https:\/\/t.co\/HJp1APOraZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 John Henley (@JohnHenleyVA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnHenleyVA\/status\/1531981425251176449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 1, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"subscribe\" class=\"email-signup inarticle\">\n<h4>Support Conservative Voices!<\/h4>\n<h5><strong>Sign up to receive the latest<\/strong> political news, insight, and commentary delivered directly to your inbox.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/highlandcountypress.com\/Content\/In-The-News\/In-The-News\/Article\/Air-Force-service-members-sue-over-COVID-vaccine-mandate\/2\/20\/79619\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to the lawsuit<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cPlaintiffs have lost promotions that had already been announced, received official discipline, been barred from training opportunities, and placed in a no-pay status\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So while members who are discharged for refusing to get the vaccine are discharged honorably, it doesn\u2019t negate the fact that many are subject to punishments before their discharge.<\/p>\n<h3>Support and Defend the Constitution<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/air-force-members-denied-religious-185111067.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Director of military affairs for First Liberty Institute Mike Berry<\/a> said of the members fighting to stay in uniform:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201c\u2026military leaders are forcing tens of thousands of our bravest out of the service because they\u2019ve chosen to live according to their faith. Religious liberty is essential to national security, and our service members deserve better.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It\u2019s not just Air Force members who are fighting back. A group of Navy SEALS are also fighting in the courts to keep their careers.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Lawsuit filed on behalf of Navy SEALs facing intimidation for seeking religious COVID-19 vaccine exemptions<br \/>via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NewsroomSix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NewsroomSix<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/News?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#News<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/LatestNews?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#LatestNews<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Trending?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Trending<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cFz7rh5Mpq\">https:\/\/t.co\/cFz7rh5Mpq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NewsroomSix (@NewsroomSix) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NewsroomSix\/status\/1532479536566132736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 2, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In March, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled to expand a preliminary injunction to stop the DOD from taking action against sailors. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/national\/air-force-service-members-sue-over-covid-vaccine-mandate\/article_653665ee-e11d-11ec-8a69-437d609de7b9.html?utm_source=Master+List&#038;utm_campaign=ea27f4ef0e-NATIONAL_B2C_NEWSLETTER&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_term=0_d03ba9ddf1-ea27f4ef0e-79382841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Judge Reed O\u2019Connor said of his decision<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHere, the potential class members have suffered the \u2018same injury\u2019 arising from violations of their constitutional rights. Each has submitted a religious accommodation request, and each has had his request denied, delayed, or dismissed on appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Here comes the kicker:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201c\u2026it is hard to imagine a more consistent display of discrimination as previously explained in this Court\u2019s preliminary injunction order, Plaintiffs have suffered the serious injury of infringement of their religious liberty rights under RFRA and the First Amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So you might\u2019ve raised your right hand to swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Still, it doesn\u2019t apply to you if you have a religious objection to government law.<\/p>\n<p>After all, the \u201cConstitution isn\u2019t absolute,\u201d as some of our politicians try to convince us.<\/p>\n<p>In total, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagmtv.com\/2022\/05\/14\/4-air-force-cadets-may-not-graduate-due-vaccine-refusal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">all four military branches<\/a> have discharged nearly 4,000 active duty service members over the COVID vaccine mandate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/are-lawsuits-the-only-way-to-stop-the-fake-news-adam-carolla-says-yes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Are Lawsuits The Only Way To Stop The Fake News? Adam Carolla Says Yes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>But It\u2019s About Readiness, Right?<\/h3>\n<p>The decision to mandate the COVID vaccine for service members was born out of a need to maintain a ready force. When the military uses this term, they are focused on the ability to deploy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2021\/Aug\/25\/2002838826\/-1\/-1\/0\/MEMORANDUM-FOR-MANDATORY-CORONAVIRUS-DISEASE-2019-VACCINATION-OF-DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE-SERVICE-MEMBERS.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin wrote<\/a> in a memo:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cTo defend this nation, we need a healthy a ready force.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>No doubt, I couldn\u2019t agree more. After 20 years of service, I was stuck with more vaccines than I could count. Flu shots, TB, Yellow Fever, Anthrax, Small Pox, and COVID, among others, I\u2019m sure I have forgotten.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A group of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@USAirForce<\/a> members who are refusing to get a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Vaccine?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Vaccine<\/a> against <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a> are asking a federal court to block the military from punishing them, asserting the order is unconstitutional.<\/p>\n<p>Their requests for religious exemption were all denied. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pnZA4NMEPt\">https:\/\/t.co\/pnZA4NMEPt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EpochTimes\/status\/1532152516376502273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 2, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>My opinion has been and always will be that the military\u2019s job is to take the fight to the bad guys. That means deploying at a moment\u2019s notice and being as lethal as possible.<\/p>\n<p>However, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/12\/16\/politics\/military-vaccine-numbers\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">97% of the military<\/a> vaccinated against COVID, it seems strange to argue that the small percentage with religious exemptions would degrade the military\u2019s readiness.<\/p>\n<h3>Religious Exemption = Lack of Confidence?<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps the most alarming case surrounds the anchoring of an East Coast guided-missile destroyer. The Commanding Officer filed a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine.<\/p>\n<p>When the Navy tried to remove the Commanding Officer, a Federal judge in Florida prevented the action under the RFRA rules. So the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/08\/navy-says-destroyer-is-out-of-commission-after-florida-judge-blocks-removal-of-unvaccinated-co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Navy has opted to classify the destroyer as \u201cout of commission\u201d due to a \u201clack of confidence\u201d<\/a> in the CO\u2019s ability to lead.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/apxap.com\/navy-warship-cant-be-deployed-because-its-commander-refuses-to-get-the-covid-vaccine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vice Admiral Daniel Dwyer, Commander of the United States Second Fleet,<\/a> said of the court\u2019s decision:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe court\u2019s order effectively requires the Navy to leave a subordinate commander in command of a warship, despite his senior officer\u2019s questions relating to his fitness to discharge his duties as ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So the message is if you stand by your faith that guides you and is very much a part of your fiber as a human being, you may be an unfit leader? Standing up for your religious rights makes you unfit to lead?<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BREAKING: Federal judge just granted temporary injunction to group of Navy SEALS seeking religious exemption from vaccine mandate. Judge Reed O\u2019Connor: \u201cThere is no COVID-19 exception to the First Amendment. There is no military exclusion from our Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShannonBream\/status\/1478142686938943499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 3, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/biden-goes-off-script-to-commit-america-to-defend-taiwan-in-military-conflict\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Biden Goes Off Script To Commit America To Defend Taiwan In Military Conflict<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Some Food for Thought<\/h3>\n<p>Back to the young Air Force Academy cadets. While they will graduate with their undergraduate degrees, they may have to pay back the steep tuition.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/air-force-cadets-refused-covid-vaccine-graduate-wont-receive-commissions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall will determine<\/a> if the cadets need to \u201creimburse the United States for education costs in lieu of service.\u201d Part of the deal to attend a military academy is to get your college education for free, provided you serve a set amount of time in uniform.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Three Air Force Cadets Refused The COVID-19 Vaccine. They May Have To Pay Back $200,000 Of Tuition. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qgJriYXHwq\">https:\/\/t.co\/qgJriYXHwq<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JrA2qd3RWN\">pic.twitter.com\/JrA2qd3RWN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realDailyWire\/status\/1530206976205942784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 27, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Since they will not be commissioned, they will not serve. But I mean, the Biden administration will forgive student loans anyway, so what\u2019s the big deal, right?<\/p>\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/national-security\/average-transgender-soldier-unable-deploy-238-days\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Obama administration study<\/a> found that the average transgender soldier would spend 238 days recovering from sex-change surgery, making them nondeployable during that time frame. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.palmcenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/14700-Transgender-Troops-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Palm Institute<\/a> estimated in 2018 that 14,700 transgender troops were serving active duty and reserves.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s roughly 3,498,600 days nondeployable if they receive sex-change surgery. That\u2019s 9,585 years.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s about readiness, right?<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.<\/strong><br \/>The Political Insider ranks #3 on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.feedspot.com\/political_blogs\/\">Feedspot\u2019s<\/a> \u201c100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can\u2019t open a social media app on your phone without seeing the smiling faces of brand new college graduates full of hope and wonder. Unless you are an Air<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":489,"featured_media":1898150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1503244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_finder_url":"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/air-force-members-file-suit-after-being-rejected-religious-exemption-from-covid-vaccine\/","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1503244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1503244"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1503244\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1898150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1503244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1503244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1503244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}