New Navy regulations require that all service members comply with a vaccine mandate. This directive includes SEALs.
Failing to adhere to the mandate could result in demotion, pay cuts, or ban of travel. United States service members are the defenders of the free, but are not free themselves.
Currently, some SEALs are seeking religious exemptions from the rule, though it’s unlikely that they will be successful under the current administration. According to Fox News, the waiver is “nearly impossible” to complete.
Fox reported, Michael Berry, First Liberty Institute’s general counsel and Lt. Col. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, who is representing approximately 34 active-duty SEALs and two reservists, told Fox News that the Navy’s new directives are illegal and infringe upon an individual’s First Amendment freedoms.
“Purging our military of its elite servicemembers is detrimental to national security. Doing so because the Commander in Chief refuses to accommodate their religious convictions is abhorrent to the Constitution. Their years of experience and leadership in service to our nation is immeasurable and irreplaceable,” Berry said.
According to the Navy’s COVID Consolidated Disposition Authority (CCDA), if SEALs refuse to receive the vaccine, the government will force those SEALs to repay the money spent on training them.
“The CCDA may seek recoupment of applicable bonuses, special and incentive pays, and the cost of training and education for service members refusing the vaccine,” the directive states.
Not so bad right? It can’t cost that much to train a Navy SEAL. Wrong, estimates show that the cost to train one single SEAL can amount to several million dollars alone.