Posted on by Californiacontrarian

A Salute to Principle

Today is Sunday, so again the blog will be a bit different. As has become a custom, it will still be on an individual that we can look up to. However, today that individual will be unnamed.

From Military.com:

“A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the Navy cannot do anything to remove a commander of a destroyer, despite testimony that he has flouted the service’s rules for COVID-19 mitigation while seeking a religious exemption from the vaccine.

The order is part of a case that aims to be a class-action lawsuit on the military’s vaccine mandate; it was filed by more than 30 unnamed officers and enlisted personnel from all the military branches in November 2021. On Feb. 2, for the sake of “preservation of the status quo” while the case is being decided, Judge Steven Merryday forbade the Navy from reassigning or demoting the commander. A second order, reaffirming and lengthening the term of the injunction, followed Feb. 18.

The stays reflected his view that the Navy is likely unable to prove that it was considering religious exemptions on a case-by-case basis, as required by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

The officer at the heart of this dispute is a commander, unnamed like the other plaintiffs, who joined the Navy in 2004 and now has “nearly 18 years in the service,” according to the lawsuit. Other documents filed by the Navy show that the destroyer he commands is based in Norfolk, Virginia, and belongs to Destroyer Squadron 26.

According to the complaint, the commander filed his religious accommodation request on Sept. 13, 2021. It was denied in late October, and he appealed in November.”

From the Epoch Times:

“The officer’s exemption request was rejected, and an appeal of the rejection turned town, despite the finding that his “religious beliefs are sincere and would be substantially burdened,” according to court documents. The military alleged granting the exemption would have a “detrimental effect” on military readiness.”

Now while I usually agree that discipline is essential to the military, the Covid pandemic is on its way out, and the Biden mandates everywhere else are for the most part unconstitutional. This Naval officer is willing to risk his pension (18 years active duty) for principle. 

“Aye, aye, bully for you, sir!”

3/20/22

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