Should our soldiers have the freedom to REFUSE the COVID vaccine?
Hello:
When I was in the Navy, I received 17 different vaccines. Nobody asked me. Are things different now? Should our soldiers be FREE to refuse the COVID vaccine??
Hello, shipmate. Yes, I think they should be required to get it. You know how crowded shipboard life is. We were required to take a smallpox vaccine in the 80s. There was no refusing it.
Nobody should have that "freedom", which is not a freedom but a shirking of responsibility. Jeopardise your own health if you will, but callously risking infecting others isn't something you have a right to do - you chance depriving those you come into contact with of the first of their inalienable rights, LIFE.
My philosophy is, the vaccine is free. Now, if you don't get it, then get covid and die; don't expect any sympathy from me. I say that is nature eliminating the stupid.
This post was edited by ONeg-84 at September 14, 2021 9:48 PM MDT
I actually agree with you. But I would apply the same sentiment to those who would get the vaccine at this point. However, I sympathize with anyone who looses a loved one or has a loved one harmed from either the disease or shots. Freedom to decide your own healthcare choices should apply to everyone.
Military members do not have the same freedoms as civilians. Disobeying an order is a court martial offense. Soldiers don't have the right to refuse going into battle, which is much more dangerous than a vaccine.
Question is about having the right to refuse a vaccine. Everyone should have this right. Especially those who defend our rights.
Most of whom are young men. Young men are the main ones who are suffering heart issues from the shots. There is more risk of heart issues than their risk from covid. CDC only gives the heart stats as male's under 30.
Check out some of the vaccines and medical treatments that are required for service members, particularly if they go overseas. It varies, depending on where they're deployed or stationed. It goes way beyond vaccines and most definitely the US military has exposed their members to things that are almost certainly more harmful than vaccines (i.e., Agent Orange, radiation, chemicals of all sorts).
People must carefully consider what their chosen career path and employer might require of them. Soldiers/sailors/airmen/Marines should and DO have the right to refuse any vaccination, just as employees of hospitals, nursing homes, medical offices, paramedics, etc. have the right to refuse. If it is a condition of their employment, however, they're choosing to leave their job. The same goes for members of the military, government workers, etc.
Legislation appears to be working to move more companies to require vaccination of employees. I don't think I favor it, but I continue to see deaths amongst the unvaccinated mostly, both reports and people I personally know.
No. I'm sure the contracts today's Armed Forces members signed when they enlisted or were commissioned includes the same basic rights and requirements as they did 40-50 years ago. As someone else said, service members' rights are not the same as when you're a civilian. Their options are to do what the government says or get out. Same as it's always been.
Even if the vaccine has the potential side effect of death (about 2 to 5 people per million vaccines and no proof that it was a direct result of the vaccine), military personnel sign up to risk their lives for their country and the miniscule risk of taking the vaccine should be part of that. People who don't take the vaccine should not have the freedom to infect others or use up limited healthcare resources. We all seemed to accept that second hand smoke is a public health risk and live with the restriction of our freedom to smoke in public, why do some think it's okay to allow this pandemic to go on and on because they have a smaller risk than they have of being struck by lightening. If it just affected the anti-vaxxers, I wouldn't care. I wish they would just stop whining and get the shot or else go live in a cave where they can't spread the virus.