A former U.S. Navy chaplain says it is sad to witness military chaplains being ordered to grill service members about their faith in an obvious attempt to force those holdouts to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Military Times reported in mid-September that 90% of active-duty personnel are fully vaccinated, a number that is likely jumped since then, but many of the holdouts have submitted a health waiver and others are seeking a religious exemption.
The shrinking number of holdouts is presumably undergoing tremendous pressure from their commanders to cave and give in to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s order in August to get the shot. Deadlines are coming in November and December for most active-duty personnel.
Meanwhile, The Epoch Times reported in a Sept. 23 story it obtained a copy of a U.S. Coast Guard memo that directs chaplains to grill holdouts who are seeking a religious exemption to. Chaplains are told to ask the holdout to “describe how they consistently keep the tenets of their faith and demonstrate those in their daily life.”
The memo also directs chaplains to document if a service member raises a religious objection after first stating other objections, and to be aware if the service member is using the religious waiver “as a ruse to avoid the vaccine.”
“It’s not the chaplain’s job to grill with a questionnaire,” says Gordon Klingenschmitt, a former Navy chaplain. “It’s simply to ascertain the sincerity.”
Regarding the use a religious exemption, however, Klingenschmitt tells American Family News not every holdout in uniform can expect to use that waiver to escape the jab.
“If your waiver request is not based on a sincerely held religious belief, but it’s based on politics or medicine, expect to lose,” he advises. “You will get overruled. They will order you to take the vaccine.”
The Epoch Times story quotes a First Liberty Institute attorney, Mike Berry, who said the law firm has heard from as many as 300 service members. The “vast majority” of them, Berry told the Times, have said they experienced “significant hostility” from commanders after informing them they are seeking a religious exemption.
Those holdouts have also been warned their waiver will not approved and the next step is to the “processed for separation or court-martialed,” Berry told the Times.
At least some members of the U.S. armed forces will presumably quit rather than be forced to get the controversial vaccine, and that reality was recognized by an amendment in Congress that would allow those service members to step down with an honorable discharge. The amendment was attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.
The lead author of the amendment is Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), who told the Times that Democrats approved the amendment on the House Armed Services Committee.
The amendment is opposed by the Biden administration, however, which claims it harms military readiness.
“Everyone needs to hold Congress to take a stand,” Klingenschmitt says of the NDAA amendment, “and make sure that language remains.”
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Copyright American Family News. Reprinted with permission.
Thw Biden regime has already harmed military readiness, destroyed morale, and made the military look ridiculous after his decisions about Afghanistan. Democrats have a dislike for the military, denegrate it when they can, but find it useful when they need to make an example of their power!
“The amendment is opposed by the Biden administration, however, which claims it harms military readiness.”
BUT according to Tinkerbell Obama and puppet Biden their LGBTQ agenda is a vertue to the military readiness.
Thursday, March 12, 2015. Michael F. Haverluck (OneNewsNow.com)
“Joe Biden went on to assure the pro-LGBTQ crowd that even though the Obama administration cannot enforce a thought police, people who stand for their religious convictions are in the process of being wiped out — as the White House’s homosexual agenda continues to proliferate across the nation. Carson and others who ascribe to the biblical view of homosexuality should be eradicated from the planet in the name of “equality” and “tolerance.” “
Another example of this socialist Democrat dictatorship mentality.
You will agree with the dishonorable demonic Democrats or they will hate you.
More and more, i am GLAD i retired from the military when i did, BECAUSE THIS IS NO LONGER the military i was part of.. ITS more akin to the red-army, where they literally SHOT THEIR OWN TROOPS for daring to retreat in battle…
There’s a reason why Jesus wipes the wicked lefties out when he returns to the earth.
And plauges are one of the weapons available for that ” As you judge others so you will be judged.” scale balancers of Justice.
IF this willfull purging of our military keeps up, there will be SO FEW patriots (IF any) left, tht when the orders come FROM the white house to “PUNISH US PATRIOTS”< i fear that the military, will as a whole just jump and say "DA TAVORISCH, YOUR orders will be complied with. HAIL BIDEN!"…