No Religious Exemptions Granted So Far, 17,000 Airmen of Unknown Status Remain

The Covid vaccination saga continues in the armed forces, with the notice that the United States Air Force and Space Force commands have turned down thousands of requests for religious exemptions to the vax mandate while approving none. Servicemen felt they were home free when submitting their paperwork, but the service feels that none of them have shown an "honest, consistent" religious attitude towards the vaccine. 

Those denied may still appeal the decision up the chain to the Surgeon General of the Air Force, but the DAF has also refused to grant a single exemption, with 135 denied. Those whose appeals are denied may retire, if able, or choose to separate. Those booted from the force face an administrative discharge status if they refuse to accept the full vaccination regimen.

The outcome was not completely unforeseen to those familiar with the stringent requirements for a religious accommodation to military policy. The primary factors the service analyses during their necessary chaplain-led interview include the requestor's apparent credibility, demeanor, and participation of associated practices of a religious belief system. The chaplain should be given an endorsement from an organization for the region espousing the claim, or verification via letter for the claim of belief. The process is not the same as civilian religious accommodations, containing certain military-specific intrusions into personal belief systems that would likely run afoul of certain civil rights protections elsewhere. 

After their denial, servicemen have 5 days to become vaccinated, file an appeal with the AF Surgeon General, or request their separation/retirement. Those requests for separation may be unavailable while engaged in a limited Military Service Obligation. Once denied on appeal, the 5 day limit restarts. The Air force has already discharged 27 for refusal to accept Comirnaty or its alternates, and the service estimates another 17,000 servicemen remain unvaccinated but are existing in the interstitium, either ambivalently unvaxxed, verbally refusing, seeking exemption, or erroneously coded.

FMI: www.usaf.mil