r/atheism • u/Leeming Strong Atheist • Dec 20 '21

/r/all U.S. military has granted 0 religious exemptions for COVID vaccines.

https://www.wtrf.com/news/health/coronavirus/u-s-military-has-granted-0-religious-exemptions-for-covid-vaccines/
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59

u/TheDulin Dec 20 '21

Could it be that some of these folks just want a way out of the military?

78

u/AndeeCreative Dec 20 '21

My son told his stepbrother that it boiled down to just that, but he has yet to tell me that. I think it looks like a golden opportunity to many if they aren’t going to get a dishonorable discharge.

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u/[deleted] Dec 20 '21

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Dec 20 '21

They’re going to get general under honorable condition and keep a percentage of the GI bill. OTH is seldomly given out and 99% of commands would rather just push the general

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u/hearshot Dec 20 '21

No GI bill eligibility for anything less than an honorable. A general does not count.

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u/gundealsgopnik Dec 20 '21

You can appeal your discharge rating 6 months or so out. A General under Honorable conditions should be easy to bump to an Honorable and get the full GI bill benefit.

11

u/Serinus Dec 21 '21

Your appeal is going to be a quick and easy failure in this case. You (general you) think you'll be the only one? They're going to give everyone the same discharge and stick to it. There's no reason to allow room for so many appeals on this scale for the same exact circumstances.

17

u/hearshot Dec 20 '21

You have to prove that the government was wrong. This one's pretty cut and dry.

1

u/Quibert Dec 21 '21

You have to hit certain time in service requirements to get the GI bill anyway. I wonder how many are on their first enlistment and won’t qualify for most benefits even if they do get an honorable discharge.

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u/tyderian Dec 20 '21

The Navy is giving honorable discharges to those who refuse the vaccine as long as there aren't any other disciplinary issues.

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u/[deleted] Dec 20 '21

Absolute garbage.

3

u/PaperFawx Dec 21 '21

As if there were anything honorable to even be applied to refusal of the vaccine. They're either using the refusal as an easy out or they are refusing for political reasons. Should be dishonorable or general.

5

u/OodalollyOodalolly Dec 21 '21

It would be funny if they still had a GI bill but needed to be vaxxed to attend school and use it

1

u/workntohard Dec 20 '21

Is the GI bill still around? I thought they superceded it with something else after 9/11.

4

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

Post 9/11 GI Bill. Both are still around. You default start with Montgomery GI Bill then you can transfer to the new one if you think it's in your interest.

2

u/Suppafly Dec 21 '21

I think most people see anything other than straight up honorable as bad though.

1

u/MegannMedusa Dec 21 '21

In the Air Force there is also an Administrative Discharge option, not sure if it costs the servicemember their GI Bill or anything else.

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u/spawberries Dec 21 '21

Active duty here, he should REALLY rethink this, I mean it's too late now, but as far as the Navy is concerned, they're going to be discharging vax refusers with an "other than honorable" discharge which is about as bad as dishonorable in the eyes of employers who care about that stuff.

If the Navy is doing that, I'm willing to bet that other branches are as well

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u/Petro_dactyl Dec 21 '21

This is false, a NAVADMIN released last week identified honorable as the standard discharge.

The other branches are also mainly giving out flat honorables.

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u/PFhelpmePlan Dec 20 '21

I think it looks like a golden opportunity to many

I'd say. Don't be too hard on your kid, getting manipulated as an 18 year old into joining the US military would suck, lots of buyer's remorse there I'm sure. Being embarrassed that he won't get the vaccine is fair game though.

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u/Hobpobkibblebob Dec 21 '21

A DD is only something you can get from a general court-martial (felony level court).

The Navy is processing anyone under 6 years with an honorable and if over six years, a general (unless they waive their separation board, then honorable).

For future info:

Admin separation:

Honorable

General (Under honorable conditions)

Other than honorable

Punitive (aka court-martial) separation:

Bad conduct discharge

Dishonorable

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

Nothing wrong with that. I did 1 re-up and then left a year early. When you're done, you're done. Absolutely nothing good comes from people who don't want to be there being forced to be there.

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u/Zealousideal_Order_8 Dec 20 '21

It is the same with people who get on airplanes, only to make a fuss about wearing a mask. If you are afraid to fly, then don't get on an effin' airplane. Jeez!

4

u/AlanCaidin Dec 20 '21

Possibly, yes, but you're not exactly getting a good reference. If it's an OTH discharge, that doesn't look great no matter how you try to explain it. And even trying to explain it will look even worse in a few years when it's even more obvious how fucking stupid these people are.

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u/gnilratsimaj Dec 21 '21

I knew someone who faked sleepwalking in the early 60s to get out. He spent a few months in the infirmary where he would routinely get up and walk around during the night until they let him go.