‘BOUT TIME TO MAN UP

L. E. Thissell (TS)

I can’t remember exactly what year this was – I tend to remember by event, not date – but it was when the Navy first made the flu shot mandatory. I went along with it the first year because I was still young and naive, with a faith in the integrity of the armed forces and those who controlled them.
I became so sick from that shot that I nearly died. I actually ruptured the sphincter at the top of my stomach from such prolonged and violent vomiting.

The second year I refused the shot. The matter went from a polite refusal voiced to my immediate superior, my shop supervisor, via rapid escalation within a few days to where I was standing in front of the Air Wing Commander, a Captain whose name I don’t remember, explaining my insubordination.

The threats all the way up through the chain of command were clear and unambiguous – either I received the shot or I would lose pay and probably rank. At every stage my response was the same; if they did that, I would immediately go home. The Captain improved on that threat by stating that if I did I would be charged and court-martialed for insubordination and going AWOL, resulting in brig time and a BCD. I told him, in no uncertain terms though respectfully, that when they were done with me I would go home.

The Captain actually got red-faced and leaned forward on his desk and said that he would frog-march me out and into the brig right then and there if I refused one more time.

My response was, and I remember my exact words and the expression on his face very clearly, “Captain, if you try and give me another shot, ever, without my permission, you can go fuck yourself. The last one almost killed me and I will never allow it again. Do whatever you want. I refuse this shot.”

His jaw dropped and he stared at me for what seemed forever. My heart was slamming so hard I don’t know how I didn’t have a heart attack. I just knew I was screwed seven ways over Sunday. He shook his head and dropped back into his chair.

“Your serious.”

“Yes, Sir, I am.” I think what really convinced him was that my voice was definitely wavering, but I didn’t look away from his eyes for a moment.
He shook his head again, cocked it to one side, and said. “I’ll see to it that Medical is informed that you are exempt. Dismissed, Petty Officer Thissell. Get the fuck out of my office and I better never see you here again.”

I saluted and beat a very hasty retreat.

I believe it is time for everyone to embrace that same unyielding strength of principle. Be prepared for any and all consequences, or you might as well just concede right now and save yourself the inconvenience. It’s a harsh world and in my opinion, it’s about to get harsher.

Time to man up for real.

Following is the article that tripped this trigger.

Prepare for mandatory COVID vaccines in September, Army tells commands

The Army has directed commands to prepare to administer mandatory COVID-19 vaccines as early as Sept. 1, pending full Food and Drug Administration licensure, Army Times has learned.

The directive came from an execute order sent to the force by Department of the Army Headquarters.

Army Times obtained a portion of a recent update to HQDA EXORD 225-21, COVID-19 Steady State Operations.

“Commanders will continue COVID-19 vaccination operations and prepare for a directive to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for service members [on or around] 01 September 2021, pending full FDA licensure,” the order said. “Commands will be prepared to provide a backbrief on servicemember vaccination status and way ahead for completion once the vaccine is mandated.”

VA may force employees to get COVID vaccines

Department officials are checking on the legality of mandatory vaccinations.

Leo Shane III

EXORDS are utilized when the president directs the defense secretary to execute a military operation.

“As a matter of policy we do not comment on leaked documents. The vaccine continues to be voluntary,” said Maj. Jackie Wren, an Army spokesperson. “If we are directed by DoD to change our posture, we are prepared to do so.”

The Pentagon has not put out any guidance to the services to prepare for a mandatory vaccine roll-out in September, a defense official separately told Army Times.

It was not immediately clear whether the vaccines would even be approved in time for a Sept. 1 mandatory rollout. And an FDA spokesperson did not have an exact timeline available.

The ”timelines for vaccine approval may vary depending on a number of factors, but as Pfizer and Moderna announced, they have initiated rolling submissions of their biologics license applications for their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Alison Hunt, an FDA spokesperson. “As a general matter, FDA cannot comment on particular applications.”

Once the companies finish collecting biologics license application data on their vaccines, the FDA will take 60 days to review the applications for full approval, in accordance with the agency’s guidelines for priority review.

The Army currently has around 70 percent of its force vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director of the Defense Health Agency.

However, demand for the vaccine has fallen off in recent months across the military, roughly following a similar drop in demand among the American people.

The Veterans Affairs administration is currently weighing a plan to require all VA staffers to receive the vaccine, amid growing worry worldwide about the more severe Delta variant of the virus.

The Navy also recently told sailors to expect a mandatory vaccination program despite having the highest vaccine acceptance rate thus far.

Military Times Pentagon bureau chief Meghann Myers contributed to this report.

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