4 Air Force Cadets May Not Graduate Over Vaccine Refusal

May 14, 2022 — Four seniors on the U.S. Air Force Academy might not be allowed to graduate as a result of they’ve refused to take a COVID-19 vaccine, The Associated Press reported.

The Department of Defense mandated final yr that every one army service members, together with army academy college students, be vaccinated towards COVID-19 except they’re granted an exemption. Service members are also required to take a number of different vaccines.

Air Force Academy spokesperson Lt. Col. Brian Maguire mentioned the scenario might change as a result of “there are still two weeks until graduation, so their status could change as the cadets weigh their options,” The Associated Press mentioned.

Graduation is scheduled for May 25 on the Air Force Academy campus in Colorado Springs, Colo. Maguire additionally mentioned two juniors, one sophomore, and 6 freshmen have refused to take the vaccine.

One attainable consequence for the Air Force cadets is having to repay the federal government for tuition prices. The U.S. army academies typically require college students to repay these prices, which will be as a lot as $200,000, in the event that they depart throughout their junior or senior years, The Associated Press mentioned.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., say none of their seniors will miss commencement due to vaccine refusal, The Associated Press mentioned.

Mike Rose, a lawyer representing three of the senior cadets, mentioned they may graduate late and be commissioned as officers in the event that they went forward and acquired a dose of vaccine, however “they’ve got a limited amount of time to make that decision, and they’re running out of time,” The Colorado Springs Gazette mentioned.

Gordon Klingenschmitt, an Air Force Academy graduate who leads an evangelical ministry, mentioned the 4 seniors objected to the vaccine on non secular grounds, in accordance with the Colorado Springs Gazette. “That’s why they won’t take the vaccine,” he mentioned. “It’s not as a result of they hate all vaccines.