As many as 12,000 Air Force personnel have refused a Pentagon mandate to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before next Tuesday’s deadline, according to The Washington Post. More than 96 percent of active-duty personnel have taken at least one shot, the Post reports, but thousands of holdouts have now left it too late to get fully vaccinated before the Nov. 2 deadline. They now reportedly face a range of punishments for refusing orders, including possible dismissal or being charged in the military justice system. A mass firing would become a headache for military leaders— Katherine L. Kuzminski, a military policy expert at Center for a New American Security think tank, told the Post: “The fact that it’s a choice leading to potential loss to readiness is striking.” An Air Force spokesperson said more details will be released after the deadline passes.
Read it at The Washington Post
