Welcome back, everyone! Today, we’re highlighting a crucial victory for numerous Navy SEALs and other service members who were adversely affected by President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. They’ve registered a notable triumph in court following an intense legal battle.
To bring some context, in August 2021, the vaccine mandate resulted in the termination of more than 8,000 service members who refused the vaccine on religious or medical grounds. Navy SEALs and other special operators faced professional obstacles as they held strong in their refusal despite their requests for religious accommodation being repeatedly denied.
These members were terminated, deprived of the necessary training for career progression, and, in certain cases, even asked to repay their initial signing bonuses, which ranged from $4,000 to $7,000. Moreover, special operations warfare troops were informed that they would need to repay their training costs—amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars—and surrender their hard-earned ‘Trident’ pin.
However, a recent settlement stipulates that service members who left the Navy after being ‘mistreated’ will now have their records corrected. Furthermore, the Navy has committed to demonstrating its respect for religious service members by issuing a statement. Also, more training will be provided for the commanders who review religious accommodation requests, and their policies will be revised.
The government will deal with $1.5 million in legal fees that accumulated over nearly four years of litigation. Danielle Runyan, senior counsel at a prominent legal institute, hailed the Navy SEALs’ tenacity, stating, ‘They never gave up.’
A significant victory was hailed when the settlement, orchestrated by two legal firms, was accepted by the United States District Court Northern District of Texas Fort Worth Division recently. It was described as a ‘hard-fought but significant victory.’
Earlier this year, more than 200 active duty and retired service members pledged their commitment to holding the Biden administration accountable for enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which they feel infringed on their rights. This group of over 200 service members also pledged to do ‘everything’ within their jurisdiction to seek accountability.
🚨LONG POST: SEALS 1-26 V BIDEN CASE🚨
This case saved my Naval career (at the time, 18 years active duty). I was about to be involuntarily separated over an illegal shot mandate, with a religious accommodation in process, instead, by the grace of God I’m retiring soon, with… https://t.co/vKZPMD8L97 pic.twitter.com/BNE3LgAlRy
— Ted (@ted_macie) July 26, 2024
They accuse the administration’s military brass of disregarding their pleas for justice. They warn of holding accountable those in leadership, even if it means bringing them out of retirement for court-martial. They contend that the vaccine mandate caused substantial harm to both the service members and their families, both financially and emotionally.
Although the mandate was revoked in the December 2022 defense authorization bill, it did not reinstate service members who were dismissed for refusing the vaccine or provide any other compensation.
Breaking news; Navy SEALs win major lawsuit against the Biden administration. This is great news.@HASCRepublicans, help get justice for all the 10s of thousands of other service members impacted by the VAX mandate!
Great work @kelly_laco & @DailyMailhttps://t.co/Ft8kHC6ojG https://t.co/Q0yI2OkPjt
— John Frankman (@johny_franks) July 24, 2024
While attempts have been made to rectify the injustices endured by these service members, including the correction of military records and provisions in the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), some feel these measures fall short. They argue these initiatives don’t adequately address the ‘serious harassment’ they faced due to the mandate over the last two years.
For these service members, restoring trust will demand more than policy changes. An apology from their service branches would be an essential step towards healing. This issue is complicated, and we’ll keep you updated on the developments. Thank you for staying tuned, and, as always, stay informed.
