NOT FOLLOWING ORDERS

Up to 12,000 Air Force Vaccine Holdouts Are Facing Dismissal, Says Report

It’s already too late for unvaccinated personnel to meet next week’s vaccine deadline.

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.