The United States Air Force has removed, or discharged, 27 servicemembers for violating COVID-19 vaccination orders. The Air Force does not provide information on what kind of discharge a service member receives. But legislation currently before Congress limits the military to giving members who refuse the vaccine either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. In August, the U.S. Department of Defense ordered all military forces to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the vaccine as critical to keeping troops healthy and ready to deploy when needed. Each military service sets its own dates for members to complete the requirement. The Air Force gave its forces until November 2 to get the vaccine. Thousands have either refused or sought an exemption to the rule. Exemptions are offered for some medical or religious reasons. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said none of the 27 members who were discharged had sought vaccine exemptions. She said all of the airmen were in their first term of military service. Stefanek said each were discharged for failing to obey an order. Some might have had other violations on their records, she added, but all had the vaccine refusal as one of the elements of their discharge. The latest Air Force data shows that more than 1,000 airmen have refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. The military reports 97 percent of active duty Air Force members have gotten at least a first vaccine injection. That is a greater share than found among the U.S. general population, health officials report.
Title: US Military Dismisses Members for Violating Vaccination Order
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='US Military Dismisses Members for Violating Vaccination Order' data-article-id='5970'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='14750'>The United States Air Force has removed, or discharged, 27 servicemembers for violating COVID-19 vaccination orders.</span> <span data-start-time='14750' data-end-time='24021'>The Air Force does not provide information on what kind of discharge a service member receives. </span> <span data-start-time='24021' data-end-time='42521'>But legislation currently before Congress limits the military to giving members who refuse the vaccine either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions.</span> <span data-start-time='42521' data-end-time='54333'>In August, the U.S. Department of Defense ordered all military forces to get vaccinated against COVID-19. </span> <span data-start-time='54333' data-end-time='68354'>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the vaccine as critical to keeping troops healthy and ready to deploy when needed.</span> <span data-start-time='68354' data-end-time='76854'>Each military service sets its own dates for members to complete the requirement. </span> <span data-start-time='76854' data-end-time='84271'>The Air Force gave its forces until November 2 to get the vaccine. </span> <span data-start-time='84271' data-end-time='91188'>Thousands have either refused or sought an exemption to the rule. </span> <span data-start-time='91188' data-end-time='97938'>Exemptions are offered for some medical or religious reasons.</span> <span data-start-time='97938' data-end-time='110250'>Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said none of the 27 members who were discharged had sought vaccine exemptions. </span> <span data-start-time='110250' data-end-time='117021'>She said all of the airmen were in their first term of military service.</span> <span data-start-time='117021' data-end-time='123854'>Stefanek said each were discharged for failing to obey an order. </span> <span data-start-time='123854' data-end-time='136958'>Some might have had other violations on their records, she added, but all had the vaccine refusal as one of the elements of their discharge.</span> <span data-start-time='136958' data-end-time='148104'>The latest Air Force data shows that more than 1,000 airmen have refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. </span> <span data-start-time='148104' data-end-time='154875'>More than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. </span> <span data-start-time='154875' data-end-time='166458'>The military reports 97 percent of active duty Air Force members have gotten at least a first vaccine injection. </span> <span data-start-time='166458' data-end-time='175750'>That is a greater share than found among the U.S. general population, health officials report.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18278 data-hint-location='42521' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/in_august_the_us_department_of__blank__ordered_all_military_forces_to_get_vaccinated_against_covid19_.wav'>In August, the U.S. Department of <span class='blank'>Defense</span> ordered all military forces to get vaccinated against COVID-19. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Defense'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/defense.wav'><span>Defense</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/offense.wav'><span>Offense</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/departments.wav'><span>Departments</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/deer.wav'><span>Deer</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18279 data-hint-location='154875' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/what_percentage_of_active_duty_air_force_members_have_at_least_one_covid19_vaccine_injection.wav'>What percentage of active duty Air Force members have at least one COVID-19 vaccine injection?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='97 percent'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/97_percent.wav'><span>97 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/9_percent.wav'><span>9 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/7_percent.wav'><span>7 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/79_percent.wav'><span>79 percent</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18280 data-hint-location='84271' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/what_is_an_exemption.wav'>What is an exemption?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='special permission not to have to do something'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/special_permission_not_to_have_to_do_something.wav'><span>special permission not to have to do something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/a_room_or_set_of_rooms_added_to_an_existing_building.wav'><span>a room or set of rooms added to an existing building</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/a_comprehensive_description_and_explanation_of_an_idea_or_theory.wav'><span>a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5378/the_state_of_being_exposed_to_contact_with_something.wav'><span>the state of being exposed to contact with something</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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