Located in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D. C. , the Pentagon has been the epicenter of the U. S. military. It has housed the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, and Air Force since the 1940s. (Bill Clark/CQ- Roll Call, Inc Getty Images)
About 53,000 have requested a waiver or accommodation, leaving about 16,000 who could be fired for non-compliance with the canceled vaccination policy, according to data provided by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Preparedness Gilbert Cisneros in response to a letter from representatives. Mike Rogers, R-Ala. and Jim Banks.
“It’s incredibly divisive and ruthless to fire patriotic service members for refusing to abide by a partisan and destructive rule that no longer exists,” Banks told Fox News Digital. “To me, the only explanation is that the Biden administration needs to purge conservatives. “Military Corps of Army Workers. “
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Cisneros’ letter noted that about 8,100 military personnel have already been separated for non-compliance with the vaccination mandate, although knowledge does not specify how many of them have implemented the exemption.
Cisneros had said in his correspondence with the committee that refusing the vaccine alone was not enough to release him if the army “sought housing for religious, administrative or medical reasons. “
Banks questioned Cisneros at a recent hearing in which he cited a Lancet study that found herbal immunity against COVID-19 is as effective as vaccination. Pointing to the novelty of the virus, Cisneros said that “plant-based immunity is not something that interests us. “”
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Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. , condemned the firing of members over a canceled vaccination order as “incredibly divisive and cruel. “(Bill Clark/CQ Roll call)
Rogers, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, echoed Banks, telling Fox News Digital that the Defense Department “mishandled the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and failed to review waivers. “
The president added that the House Armed Services Committee will investigate how the mandate affected preparation and recruitment.
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“To me, the only explanation is that Biden’s management needs to purge the conservative body of military workers. “
A DOD inspector general report in June uncovered evidence that the military potentially broke the law by denying accommodation requests without conducting individualized testing as required by federal law and industry policies.
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House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala. , said the Defense Department “ruined the review of waivers. “(House Armed Services Committee)
The report also noted that the average review time for each application is only 12 minutes, indicating inadequate time to complete an individualized assessment and fulfill task responsibilities.
The U. S. Military Academy The U. S. Department of Health and Drug Administration in West Point, New York, has required all incoming cadets to get the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth’s vaccine directive, which Congress ordered rescinded until Jan. 23.
The military rescinded its vaccine needs until Feb. 24, more than a month after the deadline.
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A DOD spokesperson responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Jon Brown is a member of Fox News Digital. Se can send tips on the story to jon. brown@fox. com.