I’m ex-military. I served in the Vietnam war, then was an Army Reserve instructor. I know all about how military life works.
It’s all about teamwork. Nobody accomplishes anything by themselves in military service; the tasks are too big. The mantra is, you look out for your buddies, and they look out for you. Given the demands and dangers of most military duties, it has to be that way.
The defense authorization bill that Congress sent to President Biden on Thursday, December 15, 2022, contains “language demanded by conservative Republicans to end the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which has been in place since August of 2021.” It’s there because GOP senators held defense spending hostage to that provision, so Democrats had no choice but to go along with it.
The Hill noted here that, “The Biden administration earlier this week criticized the vaccine mandate repeal as ‘a mistake,’ but the president is still expected to sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.” Because if he doesn’t, our country will be defenseless.
Maybe a time will come when Covid-19 vaccinations aren’t necessary anymore, but we’re not there yet. It sure is a mistake, and one that it’s now up to soldiers to rectify themselves. Troops in barracks and on field assignments live in close proximity to each other, and share their infectious diseases. That’s why everyone who goes into the armed forces gets a lot of vaccinations. But Republicans, driven by ideology and false information, insisted on exempting them from this one.
The troops have a choice, however, and shouldn’t exempt themselves. If not for their own sake, then as something they owe to their fellow soldiers. The Covid-19 vaccines work, are safe, and dramatically reduce illnesses and deaths.
The proof is in the data; Washington, which has a Democratic governor who enforced Covid-19 mandates (which, for the civilian population, did not include a vaccination mandate except for state employees, healthcare workers, and public safety workers), has one-half the Covid-19 death rate of Florida, which has a Republican governor who’s ruthlessly demagogued the vaccine issue for his personal political gain.
In my opinion, as an ex-military guy and veteran, if someone refuses to get vaccinated against Covid-19, they don’t belong in the military. That’s not fair to those serving alongside them, who are involuntarily exposed to the Covid-19 infections the refuseniks might bring into the barracks, mess hall, or duty post. Someone that insensitive to his or her fellow soldiers should pursue some other career.
Removing the mandate is especially problematic because immunity from previous infection or vaccination dissipates quickly, within six months or so, and also the emerging new variants are resistant to the older vaccines, so Covid-19 vaccinations have to be renewed to be effective. Longer-lasting vaccines are in the works, but aren’t available yet.
People who refused to get vaccinated generally have been bombarded with misinformation. Many who listened to the lies are now dead. The same thing will happen in the military; there’s a right and wrong way to do things, and on a battlefield or in a hazardous duty, you’ve got to listen to the guy who knows what he’s talking about (usually a sergeant or petty officer) and do it right, or you and others will get hurt. You can’t screw around in the military with things you might (or may not) get away with in civilian life.
Anyone serving in our military forces needs to get their Covid-19 shots, and keep them up to date, along with their other vaccinations. The fact that Republicans have made it voluntary for misguided political reasons doesn’t change a thing.