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Almost One-Third of US Troops Are Refusing COVID Vaccines, Officials Say
military.com ^ | Feb. 17, 2021 | Patricia Kime

Posted on 02/18/2021 11:09:16 AM PST by PROCON

More than two-thirds of U.S. service members offered the COVID-19 vaccine have opted to receive it -- but the high rate of troops turning it down has lawmakers voicing grave concerns.

Speaking before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Defense officials, including Air Force Maj. Gens. Jeff Taliaferro, vice director for operations on the Joint Chiefs, and Steven Nordhaus, director of operations with the National Guard Bureau, said the vaccine acceptance rate for troops is, on average, between 66% and 70%.

Taliaferro added that the rate "varies by different groups," but vaccine refusal has not affected deployability because the military has adapted to working in a pandemic environment.

"The services and the combatant commands have worked very hard over the last year to make sure we can operate in a COVID environment well before the vaccines were available," he said during testimony. "The addition of the vaccine should make us more capable."

According to Taliaferro, the Defense Department has distributed 506,000 shots, including 147,000 second doses to service members.

(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: covidvaccine; military
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I was shocked when I read the headline; not that troops were declining to take the vaccine but that were allowed a choice.

When I was in it was; "Yes sir!"

Apparently since the vaccine is 'experimental', Congress gave the military an opt-out option.

Now some politicians want it to be mandatory.

Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., a retired Army flight surgeon who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, objected to Kelly's proposal, saying that "full-blown research" needed to be done before "we saddled our warriors with an experimental medication."

"Legislation was passed to prevent the use of any experimental medication on an active-duty soldier. ... I think it's a bad idea to change it," Green said.

1 posted on 02/18/2021 11:09:16 AM PST by PROCON
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To: Jet Jaguar; GreyFriar

Ping


2 posted on 02/18/2021 11:09:52 AM PST by PROCON (Molon Labe)
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To: PROCON

A good breakdown would be who amongst them are career vs. first termers?


3 posted on 02/18/2021 11:10:53 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET (`)
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To: PROCON

Good for them.

This Marxist Dictational Orgy by the Left must STOP NOW!


4 posted on 02/18/2021 11:11:08 AM PST by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ (Jude 3) and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: PROCON

Begin watching this clip at about the 22:30 mark and it might give insight as to concern

https://www.bitchute.com/video/BLfw5ROCffa9/


5 posted on 02/18/2021 11:11:31 AM PST by patriot torch (Ashlie Babbitt-say her name)
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To: PROCON

Well there’s secdef austin’s key to the racist subversive in the military. If they’re climate deniers as well, kick ‘m out.


6 posted on 02/18/2021 11:16:09 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this?)
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To: PROCON

‘...but the high rate of troops turning it down has lawmakers voicing grave concerns.’

great; now we can all look forward to another two years of masks and social distancing...


7 posted on 02/18/2021 11:17:04 AM PST by IrishBrigade
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To: PROCON

In other news, almost one third of the military isn’t fully retarded.


8 posted on 02/18/2021 11:18:39 AM PST by Bulwyf
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To: Bulwyf

If the feds said jump into the air, a significant portion of the population would ask:

” How high “ ?

Vaccines are nothing more than empowering politicians with more power.


9 posted on 02/18/2021 11:22:42 AM PST by BrexitBen
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To: PROCON

Well, it looks like Sec Austin has his first group to purge from the ranks because they’re all probably supporters of President Trump, the USA, the Flag, and are Conservative. If they weren’t, if they were god obedient liberals they would just fall in line and wait to have them put the air gun against their arm.


10 posted on 02/18/2021 11:23:55 AM PST by qaz123
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To: PROCON

so only 1/3 will not 186 themselves on the enemies
orders sent through the first pedophile.

too small a number.


11 posted on 02/18/2021 11:24:07 AM PST by Diogenesis (Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum)
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To: rktman

Amen with ChiComBiden as Potus and his insane top military guys. Anyone refusing a vaccine will be on a list.

“The DOD Instruction expressly prohibits military personnel from actively advocating for and participating in supremacist, extremist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology or causes, Kirby said.”

There are questions that need to be answered, like what constitutes extremist activity? What is permissible in looking for extremists in the ranks?”

“Well there’s secdef austin’s key to the racist subversive in the military. If they’re climate deniers as well, kick ‘m out.”


12 posted on 02/18/2021 11:26:39 AM PST by Grampa Dave (History, as we know it, is written by the winners not the losers! Who will be writing our history??)
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To: PROCON

About time our soldiers are given a choice. I was given no choice when I received experimental Anthrax and a crap-load of who-knows-what!? Many years later, I am still suffering some side effects...


13 posted on 02/18/2021 11:27:11 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: qaz123

See post 6 this thread. 😄🙌


14 posted on 02/18/2021 11:28:58 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this?)
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To: IrishBrigade
great; now we can all look forward to another two years of masks and social distancing...

Take that up with your local totalitarian politician. Are you placing the blame on our soldiers?
15 posted on 02/18/2021 11:31:11 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: rktman

You beat me to it. Nice.

I’m thinking he’ll need to start making an example out of some folks soon.


16 posted on 02/18/2021 11:34:10 AM PST by qaz123
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To: qaz123

Well, brilliant minds etc. 😄


17 posted on 02/18/2021 11:37:24 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this?)
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To: Jan_Sobieski
I was given no choice when I received experimental Anthrax and a crap-load of who-knows-what!?

Oh, we had a choice. Take the shots or get kicked out of the service with a "general discharge", possibly Other than Honorable, lose job/career/benefits/GI Bill. Sorry you had side effects. It was certainly a rough series of shots, and probably wouldn't have helped us much in anything more than incidental exposure to anthrax.

18 posted on 02/18/2021 11:39:57 AM PST by ETCM
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To: rktman

I’d like to think we got some brains.


19 posted on 02/18/2021 11:40:26 AM PST by qaz123
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To: PROCON

Given that for the most part the military are young and healthy, why would they need the jab?


20 posted on 02/18/2021 11:48:10 AM PST by Phlap (REDNECK@LIBARTS.EDU)
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