The U.S. military can no longer require Covid vaccines

[Cyrano]

Thanks to the Republicans, any member of the military can opt out of getting a Covid shot. This is madness.

Everyone in the military gets more than a dozen shots when they first enlist, and many annual boosters. And they get these shots whether they want them or not. The reason is because we can't have a military rendered inoperable due to malaria, measles, diphtheria, and so many other ailments and diseases they can be exposed to at home and abroad.

But the fucking Republicans have brought their culture wars to bear on the United States' armed forces. They wouldn't allow a military funding bill to pass unless the requirement for a Covid shot was made optional as part of the bill.

Today's Republican Party is an ongoing threat to America. Given their acceptance of anti-vaxxers, Qanon insanity, neo-Nazi groups that go by various names, racism, antisemitism, and now their destruction of the Covid mandate for the military, they truly are Domestic Enemies who are an ongoing threat to America as we know it.

Here's an article on the military Covid mandate from Rachel Maddow's blog:

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/gop-scrapped-covid-vaccine-requirements-us-troops-rcna60959

[hlthe2b]

1. Yet they are still required to get all the other vaccines, right?

This is ludicrous and some of these a'hole non-scientific anti-vaxxers COVID-conspiracy theorists will have blood on their hands, including Americans these men and women were charged with protecting from global threats.

I have nothing but contempt for those who pushed this. I hope when they are really sick themselves their physician tells them that they will have to go with whatever is trending on the subject on twitter.

[unweird]

2. Ridiculous Republican Games

This one can affect readiness and should be called out as such. But then they don’t care so there’s that.

[jimfields33]

3. Well at least we're closer to the end then the beginning

Mandatory shots were appropriate at the beginning. We are finally reaching the end. How many deaths yesterday across the country from Covid? Any?

[barbtries]

5. a google search

shows 294 deaths from covid yesterday, with a 7 day average of 488 deaths per day.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=US+deaths+from+covid+yesterday

[jimfields33]

8. That's down a lot. The stats are getting better.

[SoCalDavidS]

10. Well, If There Is Ever Another Outbreak

The military will have their FREEDOM to let it run rampant.

We are such a Fucked Up country.

[jimfields33]

15. I'm sure they can reevaluate as needed.

[SoCalDavidS]

16. They Just Passed A Law Saying It's Optional

Do you really think a repub controlled House is going to change that? Highly doubtful.

[ok_cpu]

17. And vaccinate after the fact?

Assuming military vax rates match the general population, and waning protection at 6 months or so, within a few months +/- 30% of our military could be at risk for extended or severe illness from an airborne virus that seems to do pretty well in close quarters.

Seems like a bad risk at this moment in time. And it's 100% brought to us by the I Love the Military and 'Murca Culture Warriors. After all, we're not evaluating all vaccinations. Only the one the orange guy tried to get elected president on.

[Lucky Luciano]

6. About 300-400 per day. 125,000 per year.

To be fair, many of them are antivaxxers or people who failed to maintain their booster regimen, so it is largely preventable at that scale.

[Cyrano]

9. If anti-vaxxers are intent on committing suicide, let them. However,

they want to make that decision for others. Imagine if Republicans held the House, the Senate, and the presidency.

[70sEraVet]

7. Per NYTimes, update 7 Dec. 2022:

"These increases have not yet extended as significantly to deaths. New deaths have changed little in the past two weeks and currently sit just below 350 per day."
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

But a new variant, which has proven to always be right around the corner, may quickly change those statistics.

[barbtries]

4. i hate republicans. nt

[childfreebychoice]

11. And rethugs are trying to get ppl who were kicked out

Reinstated. Imagine being in sub/ barracks, with unvaxxed idiots

[Cyrano]

12. Unfortunately, too many Republicans are bugshit insane

And we're stuck on the same planet with them.

[maxrandb]

13. I am pretty sure this won't be a big deal

In my almost 30 years in the Navy, there's were various "optional" things that somehow weren't "optional".

One way the Navy did this was with Sea Duty Screenings. You could opt not to do the stuff you needed to do to be declared "Fit for Sea Duty", but if you didn't, your career was over.

Same with Security Clearances. Up to you if you filled out the security questionaire SF-86, but failure to do so means your career is ever.

I might even consider this a positive thing, as it will make "force-shaping" that much easier. Get rid of these Dipshits.

Here is what passes as "optional" in the Navy:

Commanding Officer: "Hey, Seaman Smuckatelli, when you get a moment could you.......?"

Most sane Sailors understand there is not much optional in the above sample.

[Cyrano]

14. Yep, same with the army. Nothing is "optional."

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2022, 02:41 PM - Edit history (1)

Ended up getting drafted, and on my second day at Fort Dix, over a dozen people were injecting who-knows-what into everyone's arms. We probably ranged in age from 17 to early 20's, but we all understood that objections would be useless. And we all understood that this was being done to us for our own well being*. The world has gone around the sun many times since then, and it seems that today, there are many who don't, and never will, "get it."

*And everyone was asked beforehand if they had any allergies.

[scarletlib]

18. Agree. Failure to get vaccinated could be a career killer for those who plan to stay in.

Any of the forces could refuse to deploy unvaccinated troops overseas because of health risk. I could be wrong but I believe careers are stymied if you only stay stateside.

[Cyrano]

19. Whether enlisted, drafted, stateside or overseas, or whatever

Anyone, career military or not, who isn't allergic to a specific shot and who refuses it, is an idiot. They're refusing that shot for reasons that most of us can't grasp. Reasons such as, why would anyone vote for Trump, or Hershel Walker, or the motivations of so many of the other creatures that inhabit today's Republican Party. Some are doing it for profit, or a political edge. And some are doing it simple because they're morons.

Do you suppose that someday, someone will do a poll on how the "Moron Factor" shapes American (and world) politics.

[Irish_Dem]

20. Exactly. If you are no longer deployable, you won't make rank, career over.

The military cannot let a few people destroy combat readiness and national security.

The US military has been fighting a-hole members of congress for a long time.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

21. This is deadly, dangerously stupid, so of course it is Republican.

[Aristus]

22. Downside: Contrary to good order and discipline.

Upside: This could result in a drastic but necessary reduction of right-wingers in the military.