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The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that 27 active-duty airmen were administratively discharged for refusing to roll up their sleeves for a COVID-19 jab and vowed to continue to refuse the jab.
The airmen were all young and served for fewer than six years, Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman said. The Wall Street Journal reported that these individuals did not serve long enough to qualify for a hearing before their discharge. The paper reported that 97% of active-duty members have complied with the orders handed down by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August.
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The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Austin on Aug. 25 directed all military branches to ensure service members receive the vaccine as infections surged over the summer. The National Guard and Reserve members have until Dec. 2 to comply. The Air Force did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News.
U.S. Air Force gives out vaccine doses at Osan Air Base on December 29, 2020 in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Photo by United States Forces Korea via Getty Images) (United States Forces Korea via Getty Images)
About 40,000 active-duty military personnel have refused to take the vaccine, the Washington Post reported. The paper said military leaders "have few options to address the dissent other than to hope that, as waiver requests are denied, more troops will choose to fall in line."
U.S. Air Force Sgt. Gerald Allen receives a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Osan Air Base. (Photo by United States Forces Korea via Getty Images) (United States Forces Korea via Getty Images)
The Journal pointed out that the vaccine mandate in the military has been a contentious issue, and noted a letter that Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent to Austin.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., has expressed concerns about military readiness amid the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent vaccine mandate. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"At a time when our adversaries continue to increase their quantitative and qualitative advantage against our forces, we should seek to ensure that no policy, even unintentionally, hinders military readiness," the letter read.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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