Texas federal judge blocks Navy, DoD from punishing unvaxxed service members

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A federal judge in Fort Worth barred the Department of Defense on Monday from punishing Navy SEALs and other special forces members for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to Reuters, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Navy and DoD on behalf of 35 service members.

In a statement, Reed noted the Navy has not granted a single religious exemption to the vaccine rule.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made the order on August 24 that all service members in active duty forces, Reserves and National Guard to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Active duty Navy sailors and marines were required to be vaccinated by Nov. 28 and on Dec. 28 for reservists.

“The Navy servicemembers in this case seek to vindicate the very freedoms they have sacrificed so much to protect. The COVID-19 pandemic provides the government no license to abrogate those freedoms,” Reed wrote in his decision.

Reed was appointed as a federal judge by former president George W. Bush in 2007.

 

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