Military Family Wondering About Religious Exemption

[michelleklu]

My husband is currently an active duty soldier and we are all looking for religious exemption to vaccines. After searching online, I only found forms for children. My husband is scared of getting dishonorably discharged if he refuses vaccines. I also don't know what forms to look for because my husband and I are from different states. I'm hesitant about contacting the medical office without more information under my belt and our pastor doesn't really speak English.

Does anyone know where I should start or recommendations for websites pertaining to the military? Who are we going to have to talk to - pastor, clinic supervisor? How long does it take for our exemption to get approved and do you think they'd challenge it?

So far I'm going to ask that any questions be written and all our answers will be written for our record (or so I don't waffle between personal and religious beliefs).

Any help, please!

[Pirogi]

I am in the same boat - active duty military seeking a religious exemption to the mandatory vaccination schedule.

First, are you concerned about you and your children only, or your husband also? The military can not force you (unless you are active duty) or your children to get vaccinated. The only reason they may tell you that your children must be vaccinated is to attend a DoD school, but a religious waiver does exist for them. Look at this thread. There are several other threads for dependent exemptions here, just search the Vaccination board for "military."

For your husband, it will be more difficult. Here is the joint regulation outlining the religious exemption for active duty military. Look at page 4 ... paragraph 2-6.b.(3). He must submit a letter through his chain of command. The regulation outlines what must be in the letter. He will be required to meet with and be counseled by his commander, a chaplain, and a military physician - at least. He will probably have to explain himself over and over to many people. It won't be easy to obtain this waiver, and it may be rejected. However, if he has an active waiver pending, he is deferred from vaccinations.

It is important that he describe the "religious tenet or belief contrary to immunization" and that it be purely religious in nature. Moral reasoning won't work - for example, I can't get vaccinations because I disagree with using fetal tissue from aborted babies, or I can't get vaccinations because I disagree with injecting animal tissue. Medical "fears" won't work - for example, I can't get vaccinations because I believe they cause autoimmune disorders, or I can't get vaccinations because I don't feel there has been adequate testing on the new swine flu vaccine. For a religious waiver, only religious reasoning is valid. Look at the Wexler decision for inspiration for your own religious verbage.

This will prevent your husband from being deployable, and it will most likely end his career. But, this is the route you must take to obtain a religious waiver, if that is important to your family. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I have been through the dependent waiver process, and I plan to submit my own waiver when the vaccination window gets closer.

[Jen78fl]

Thanks pirogi! I am going to show this to my husband who is also active duty

[michelleklu]

Pirogi, you're wonderful and I've pm'd you.

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried getting exemptions for their active duty spouse or themselves and if you could share your story.

[Jen78fl]

Well Ive talked with my husband and hes not willing to do this religious waiver. I am just praying that he wont end up being forced to get the vaccine because I have a feeling he would end up with serious health problems

Does anyone know if active military is going to have to get the swine flu vaccine??

[mran]

I want to make sure you understood the part where getting the exemption would make him non-deployable and would most likely end his career?

But no, I haven't heard about swine flu requirements. Yet. How long has your dh been in?

[Shelsi]

When the swine flu vax comes out the military will get them. The military is always one of the first ones to start using a vax. If your dh is already overseas though he's already gotten countless (like 20+) vaccines. I got 14 vaxes in one day at boot camp alone. When you go overseas you get a bunch more. Heck my dh is a veteran too and he got a vax for the plague...who knew such a vax even existed!?

Like pp said though, IF he got the exemption and from what I understand that's a pretty big if, he will be non-deployable and will not be allowed to re-enlist.

Your dh would only be dishonorably discharged if he did not have the exemption but still refused the vaccines.

As for you and your children you don't need an exemption except for your kids to attend a DoD school. The military has no control over you and your children's health care decisions and you can refuse anything you want.

[michelleklu]

Originally Posted by Jen78fl

Well Ive talked with my husband and hes not willing to do this religious waiver. I am just praying that he wont end up being forced to get the vaccine because I have a feeling he would end up with serious health problems

Does anyone know if active military is going to have to get the swine flu vaccine??

I'm totally expecting the military to get the vaccine but my husband doesn't want to do the religious exemption either since hes only an E6 and has 4 more years until retirement. Its just not worth it to him since he's had so many vaccines so far and he "didn't have a reaction." Mhm, yea. . .

The DoD schools aren't in our plans but I was wondering if I should get a religious exemption letter signed in case they come around knocking since we live on base. I always thought that in the case of mandatory vaccination, the religious one would hold up most because its protected in an amendment, right?

ALSO, I'm really planning on my daughter and I not getting the vaccine but I don't want there to be a chance of us getting stuck here in S. Korea because we didn't get the vaccine and they won't let us fly out. Do you think that's possible that they'd quarantine us like that? Do you think they could kick us out of housing or take the housing allowance away if we don't comply to a mandatory vaccination program? Sorry, I'm getting a little paranoid.

[Jen78fl]

Michelle, sounds like we are in similar situations.. My husband is a chief in the coast guard and he only has 6 years until retirement... So, I am pretty sure that hes not going to risk his career to avoid this vaccine, and that he will end up getting it and then have serious irreversible health problems for the rest of his life.. But it seems like theres absolutely nothing I can do about it!! He doesnt go overseas but Im guessing he will still have to get the shot anyway?

[Oliver'sMom]

Originally Posted by michelleklu

ALSO, I'm really planning on my daughter and I not getting the vaccine but I don't want there to be a chance of us getting stuck here in S. Korea because we didn't get the vaccine and they won't let us fly out. Do you think that's possible that they'd quarantine us like that? Do you think they could kick us out of housing or take the housing allowance away if we don't comply to a mandatory vaccination program? Sorry, I'm getting a little paranoid.

No, I don't think this is possible. If you and your children have waivers, that's all you need. I'm in the reserves now, but used to be active duty, and when my family would go overseas or when we lived in housing they never checked their vaccination records.

As for me, they own me. They can inject whatever they want in me and I can't do anything about it other than ending my carreer entirely.

When I was pregnant with ds, I was actually able to get out of receiving the flu vaccine by getting a note from my doc saying she didn't want me to get it. I think I was REALLY lucky on that though and don't think that's a normal occurance.

[Oliver'sMom]

Originally Posted by Jen78fl

Michelle, sounds like we are in similar situations.. My husband is a chief in the coast guard and he only has 6 years until retirement... So, I am pretty sure that hes not going to risk his career to avoid this vaccine, and that he will end up getting it and then have serious irreversible health problems for the rest of his life.. But it seems like theres absolutely nothing I can do about it!! He doesnt go overseas but Im guessing he will still have to get the shot anyway?

I'm in the coast guard too! (reserves). Even if we don't have orders to go overseas and we're not living overseas, we still have to be up to date on all of the vaccines...including the flu shot. It's all about readiness. You never know when or where they'll need us, so we must be semper paratus

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by Oliver'sMom

When I was pregnant with ds, I was actually able to get out of receiving the flu vaccine by getting a note from my doc saying she didn't want me to get it. I think I was REALLY lucky on that though and don't think that's a normal occurance.

I avoided the flu shot as well; I reasoned with my supervisor that I was separating 4mo after I gave birth and 3 of those months I would be on leave (mat leave plus regular leave).

[Jen78fl]

Originally Posted by Oliver'sMom

I'm in the coast guard too! (reserves). Even if we don't have orders to go overseas and we're not living overseas, we still have to be up to date on all of the vaccines...including the flu shot. It's all about readiness. You never know when or where they'll need us, so we must be semper paratus

This is what I was afraid of! This is a little OT for this post, but does anyone know if any of the swine flu vaccines are going to contain MF59 (squalene)? That is my biggest concern for my husband. Supposedly there are 2 companies that are making it without the MF59 and about 4 other companies that are making it with it. I have no idea which ones they will end up using.. I wonder if my husband can ask to see the ingredients if they tell him he has to get it?? I almost think hed be better off getting the flumist, but I am not sure if they are mainly reserving that for kids mainly. I know there is only one company making that one...

[Oliver'sMom]

Originally Posted by Jen78fl

This is what I was afraid of! This is a little OT for this post, but does anyone know if any of the swine flu vaccines are going to contain MF59 (squalene)? That is my biggest concern for my husband. Supposedly there are 2 companies that are making it without the MF59 and about 4 other companies that are making it with it. I have no idea which ones they will end up using.. I wonder if my husband can ask to see the ingredients if they tell him he has to get it?? I almost think hed be better off getting the flumist, but I am not sure if they are mainly reserving that for kids mainly. I know there is only one company making that one...

It really is going to depend on your unit's supply. It isn't standard across the coast guard. They just give you whatever they can get. When I was nursing ds, I couldn't get the flumist they had because it's a live virus, so they had to scrounge up the actual shot. I got a TON of hassle just for that. :

Your dh can request to see the ingredients, but expect to get a lot of hassle from it. Can he get a note from someone saying he has sensitivities to MF59? Or he could always just ask if they happen to have any flumist since he prefers that.

[Jen78fl]

Originally Posted by Oliver'sMom

It really is going to depend on your unit's supply. It isn't standard across the coast guard. They just give you whatever they can get. When I was nursing ds, I couldn't get the flumist they had because it's a live virus, so they had to scrounge up the actual shot. I got a TON of hassle just for that. :

Your dh can request to see the ingredients, but expect to get a lot of hassle from it. Can he get a note from someone saying he has sensitivities to MF59? Or he could always just ask if they happen to have any flumist since he prefers that.

Thanks oliversmom. How could he prove that he has sensitivites to MF59?? Also, I think he definitely should ask for the flu mist but I figured it was like you said, that they are just going to use whatever is available..

[Pirogi]

Originally Posted by Jen78fl

Does anyone know if active military is going to have to get the swine flu vaccine??

http://www.vaccines.mil/default.aspx

A vaccine targeting the novel Influenza A(H1N1) virus is being developed and may be available as early as October 2009. The Department of Defense will receive vaccine from the DoD stockpile, as well as national stockpiles. With few exceptions, use of these doses of vaccine from both stockpiles is to protect those responsible for completing DoD operational missions. This vaccine may be allocated to Active Duty members, Reservists, federalized National Guard, DoD civilians, and contractors.

Emphasis mine.

[Pirogi]

Originally Posted by Jen78fl

I wonder if my husband can ask to see the ingredients if they tell him he has to get it??

The joint instruction complies with federal law (National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act) and requires that military members have access to the Vaccine Information Statement. The VIS is basically selective information written by the CDC, designed to ensure compliance with the vaccine program. The subtitle for each VIS is literally, "What You Need to Know." Ingredients are not listed on the VIS. However, the full inserts for nearly all the vaccines currently available to the US military are at the MilVax website. Your dh can have the inserts on hand when he goes in, and ask which manufacturer makes the vaccine they want to give him.