Stuck

[AllysonB]

Need help with something. We are stationed overseas (Italy) and basically the only childcare (affordable) is on base. Well my 20 mth. old has had no vaxes as of yet. We will be selectively vaxing and very delayed as well. I tried to use the drop in service with a religious exemption form citing the codes and all. Well they (CDC) don't "allow" that. They called some higher ups to get info and informed me that I need to have a letter with all this written up and claiming my religion, plus someone from the religion specified so they can determine what to do. (I hope that made sense) To be honest I don't belong to a specified religious group, I just know that's what I have to claim in order to use the exemption. Well I don't know what to do. I know ordinarily they aren't supposed to even ask about my religious affiliation and all that, but I don't know what I can do here. We will be here for at least 4 years and I need to have somewhere to be able to take him from time to time. Any input is appreciated.

[AllysonB]

I am now starting to get a complex about posting since so many of my posts go unanswered. Why is this?

[GAmomto5]

I think maybe the "right" people with the "right" answers haven't gotten around to reading your post yet Don't worry, someone will help you soon, I hope. I do remember there being an old post that was very similar to yours, except this poster was stateside. Maybe you can do a search and see if you can find it, or, even better, she might still be around and can help you. Hang in there!

[ShwarmaQueen]

I have the same complex...I think it's all in our heads!

As for the vax's, are there any other moms who you know that don't vax that maybe you could get advice from?

Hope you get help soon.

[kriket]

I could literally throw a rock and hit wright patt AFB and this sounds like classic military issues. You just need to fill out their stupid paper. You know how the military is, they need everything in triplicate before they will accept it. Find yourself a nice unitarian or something minister to sigh the paper. (we did this when agnostic me and Athiest DH got married) I don't think they are trying to rough you up, I think they really just haven't had this problem before!

Good luck mama

[Gitti]

Did n't want to just read without leaving a reply and be fodder to any complex but I don't know what to do either other than find someone who does not vaccinate their kids on schedule and see what they did.

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by AllysonB

I am now starting to get a complex about posting since so many of my posts go unanswered. Why is this?

Oh, take heart! I've authored more "dead threads" than I can count!

Your other alternative may be a medical exemption, although I don't know how difficult those are to finagle. That may be a matter of finding a cooperative and sympathetic physician!

[gardenmom]

Originally Posted by Turquesa

Oh, take heart! I've authored more "dead threads" than I can count!

Me too...

Your other alternative may be a medical exemption, although I don't know how difficult those are to finagle. That may be a matter of finding a cooperative and sympathetic physician!

Or maybe look into finding an Italian pediatrician locally who is outside of the military? Though now that I'm reading your post again you say it's too costly to do that.

I'm pretty sure that CDC only makes the "recommended" schedule. I don't think they make vax law.

[AllysonB]

Thank you ladies. Ok I am going to poke around to see if others here have dealt with this.

Would I be able to go to any religious affiliate? I am lost on this.

[Emmeline II]

(A more descriptive thread title would help; a title like "Military Childcare Exemption problem...").


Religious affiliation? Um, no; what if you were Wiccan? They have no "head of church". What branch is your base?

If all else fails contact your congressmen; I'd carry their contact numbers in your purse along with the following regs (look them up and print out the actual pages).
Everyone you have to talk to will tell you a different requirement. Always demand (nicely) that they put their request in writing, reference the regulation, and sign their name to it.

Remember that you are a civilian, your children are civilians, and that they are not disease infested swamp things ). Also, as a civilian you can be Wiccan or Catholic and still be "opposed to the practice of immunization". The Chaplain can govern the exemptions of service members but not dependents. If you have a sympathetic person in your dh's chain of command you may want to take them to any meetings; in any case you will want a witness and to write down what they have told you immediately afterwards. Have them either give you the specific regulation they are referencing or if they say there is no reg have them write down the "requirement" or their refusal, signed with their name, rank and duty title. If you don't have it in writing, it never happened.



MOTHERING THREAD
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/member.php?u=51507


DODEA

http://www.dodea.edu/foia/iod/pdf/1005_1.pdf

On page 70 (section 18.2):

"18.2.1.3 Religious — A student’s parent/sponsor may claim exemption from the DoDEA immunization requirements for religious reasons. If the parent maintains the need to continue the religious exemption during a documented outbreak of a contagious disease, the student will be excluded from school for his/her protection and the safety of the other students until the contagious period is over. Religious exemptions require a written statement from the parent/sponsor stating that he/she objects to the vaccination based upon personal beliefs. "

and...

Paragraph 3-2.b.(4) at the bottom of page 10 of this document:

http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf It specifically states, "(4) Department of Defense schoolteachers, daycare center workers, and children attending DOD–sponsored schools
and daycare centers or similar facilities on military installations. "

ARMY
Army Regulation 40–562
BUMEDINST 6230.15A
AFJI 48–110
CG COMDTINST M6230.4F

http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf
pg. 10, section 3.2, para 4 says:

In addition, all other age appropriate ACIP–recommended vaccines for children are required unless there is documentation of previous immunization, religious exemption, or medical contraindication.

Army Regulation 608-10

http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r608_10.pdf
4-3
(2) A waiver of the immunization requirement must be approved in writing by the Chief, Preventive Medicine or
health consultant. Parents must be counseled that children with waivers will be excluded from the program in the event
of vaccine preventable communicable disease outbreak.


C–37. Compliance item 15.

c. Equivalency. A waiver of immunizations signed by Chief, Preventive Medicine may be considered for religious
convictions. Parents must be counseled that the child may be excluded during an outbreak of vaccine preventable
communicable disease.




MARINE CORPS
MCO P1710.30E
MR
24 Jun 04

2005. HEALTH AND SANITATION GUIDELINES

3. In CDCs, FCC/OFCC, SAC, Youth and Teen and private organizations:
a. Children enrolled in CDP shall have on file documentation of current age
appropriate immunizations as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Youth and Teen programs are exempt from this requirement.
http://www.usmc.mil/news/publication...W%20CH%201.pdf



AIR FORCE

AFI 34-276 is the AFI that governs Family Child Care.
http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/share.../AFI34-276.pdf

Page 53. "A5.40.3. The provider maintains medical information for each child, including permission to treat emergencies signed by the parent(s), child’s allergies, chronic illness and other known health prob-lems, and immunizations (or written documentation of parents’ objections for religious reasons). This information is recorded on the AF Form 1181, Youth Flight Patron Registration Form."

Compare with the requirements for military members' religious exemptions:

http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfi.../afi34-248.pdf

AFI34-248 1 OCTOBER 1999 43
Chapter 11
HEALTH
11.1. Health Protection. Protect the health of staff, children, and parents while they are in the program.
Use Caring for Our Children: Health and Safety Guidelines for Out-of-Home Care as general guidance on
health issues not covered by this instruction.
11.2. Access. Limit the access of well children to children or adults with contagious illnesses.
11.2.1. Do not provide care to children without immunizations required by Air Force policy unless it
is an emergency.
(What is the Air Force policy that governs Immunizations, you ask?)

5.6. Child Development Program Assistant Training and Examinations.
5.6.8. Each staff member has had a physical examination within the last 3 years and the tests, examinations, and immunizations required by AF Joint Instruction 48-110, Immunizations and Chemprophylaxis.

Caring for Our Children: Health and Safety Guidelines for Out-of-Home Care
Under-Immunized Children-3.006 If immunizations are not given because of parents' religious beliefs, a waiver signed by the parent shall be on file. If a child who is not immunized is in care, the parents must be notified of the risk of the spread of preventable diseases.
http://nrc.uchsc.edu/ELG/elg_immunizations.htm

http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf
Army Regulation 40–562
BUMEDINST 6230.15A (NAVY)
AFJI 48–110 (Air Force Joint Instruction 48-110)
CG COMDTINST M6230.4F (COAST GUARD)


2–6. Exemptions
There are 2 types of exemptions from immunization: medical and administrative. Granting medical exemptions is a
medical function that can only be validated by a health care professional. Granting administrative exemptions is a
non–medical function, usually controlled by the individual’s unit commander....

(3) Religious.
(a) For Service personnel, immunization exemptions for religious reasons may be granted according to Service–
specific policies to accommodate doctrinal religious beliefs. This is a command decision made with medical and
chaplain advice.
1. Requests for religious exemption must include name, rank, social security number (SSN), occupational specialty
code or branch, and a description of the religious tenet or belief contrary to immunization. Army: (see AR 600–20,
para 5–6). Air Force: Permanent exemptions for religious reasons will not be granted. The major command (MAJCOM)
commander is the designated approval and revocation authority for temporary immunization exemptions. Coast
Guard: CG–122 is the designated approval and revocation authority for temporary immunization exemptions.
2. A military physician must counsel the applicant. The physician should ensure that the Service personnel is
making an informed decision and should address, at a minimum, specific information about the diseases concerned;
specific vaccine information including product constituents, benefits, and risks; and potential risks of infection incurred
by unimmunized individuals.
3. The commander must counsel the individual and recommend approval or denial of the exemption request, by
endorsement. The commander must counsel that noncompliance with immunization requirements may adversely impact
deployability, assignment, or international travel, and that the exemption may be revoked under imminent risk
conditions. The commander, in making his or her recommendation, should consider the potential impact on the
individual, the unit, and the mission.
4. Forward exemption requests through command channels to the respective Service approval authority for decision.
Individuals with active requests for religious exemption are temporarily deferred from immunizations pending outcome
of their request. For USCG, forward through appropriate chain to G–WPM, via CG–1121.
(b) Civilian employees submit religious–exemption requests to their supervisors. Such requests will be processed in
accordance with 29 CFR 1605 and component and local policies.
c. Bargaining units. Civilian personnel affected by this document who are members of bargaining units will be
considered for exemption consistent with applicable personnel management policies.
d. Other categories. Administrative or medical personnel will appropriately annotate electronic ITS with exemption
codes denoting separation, permanent change of station, emergency leave, missing or prisoner of war, deceased, and
other appropriate categories.

NAVY
See above. Also note that the Navy appears to follow DOD Regulations in regards to Navy daycare and youth programs.
https://qol.persnet.navy.mil/CYPWeb/...aspx?id=Policy

________________________________________________


United States> Code of Federal Regulations> Title 29 - Labor> CHAPTER XIV--EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

29 C.F.R. PART 1605—GUIDELINES ON DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF RELIGION

§ 1605.1 “Religious” nature of a practice or belief.
In most cases whether or not a practice or belief is religious is not at issue. However, in those cases in which the issue does exist, the Commission will define religious practices to include moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views. This standard was developed in United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 (1965) and Welsh v. United States, 398 U.S. 333 (1970). The Commission has consistently applied this standard in its decisions.1 The fact that no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not accept such belief will not determine whether the belief is a religious belief of the employee or prospective employee. The phrase “religious practice” as used in these Guidelines includes both religious observances and practices, as stated in section 701(j), 42 U.S.C. 2000e(j).

To whom it may concern;



(We / I) {First and Last name(s)}, as the {(parent (s) / guardian(s)} of ______________________(name of newborn child) are exercising (our/my) rights under the US Constitution, Army Regulation 40–562, BUMEDINST 6230.15A, AFJI 48–110, CG COMDTINST M6230.4F, pg. 10, section 3.2, para 4, to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination, due to our genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practices herein required.

The U.S. Supreme Court held in Frazee V. Illinois Dept. of Security, 489 U.S. 829, that a religious belief is subject to protection even though no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not advocate or require such belief. This ruling is also reflected in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Nov. 1, 1980; Part 1605.1-Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion.


Sincerely,

Your signature.
Date