
WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
The Section of the Air Power is processing a amount of Spiritual Lodging Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. Extra than 10,000 requests from across the Whole Pressure have been gained, of which close to 2,100 have been disapproved thanks to army readiness factors.
Just about every ask for is individually reviewed by Spiritual Resolution Teams at the wing, garrison, important command and industry command ranges, which are produced up of chaplains, clinical suppliers, decide advocates, and other issue make a difference specialists. Religious Resolution Teams make recommendations on analyzing the least restrictive suggests feasible to accommodate a sincerely held belief without placing mission accomplishment at possibility.
The major command or subject command level serves as the acceptance authority for suggestions about accommodation requests. Just about every commander determines if the lodging can be designed without having adversely impacting armed forces readiness based on the health and safety of the device and member, unit cohesion, and excellent buy and willpower. If the commander decides the lodging are unable to be designed without the need of adversely influencing any a person of these variables, he or she will deny the religious accommodation ask for. At this issue, the member has the skill to attraction the denial to the Air Power Surgeon Typical.
“Each member’s ask for is carefully considered to harmony the government’s persuasive fascination in mission accomplishment with the services member’s sincerely held belief,” reported Less than Secretary of the Air Drive Gina Ortiz Jones. “Although the chaplain could recommend the member’s perception is sincere, MAJCOM and FLDCOM commanders have to equilibrium that member’s interests from the over-all affect on operational readiness, wellness and safety of users and excellent buy and discipline within the unit.”
Based on the number of disapproved lodging requests at this stage, Airmen and Guardians are encouraged to consider that operational prerequisites could outcome in requests for religious accommodations currently being denied.
“We’ll keep on to be as transparent and extensive as achievable through this procedure and update all people on the position of requests in a well timed trend,” Jones additional. “We want to guarantee Airmen and Guardians have the info required to make very well-informed selections.”
To date, far more than 95% of Full Force Airmen and Guardians have been vaccinated. The deadline for lively responsibility Airmen and Guardians to be vaccinated was Nov. 2, although Air Drive Reserve Airmen had until Dec. 2 to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine. The deadline for Air National Guard associates was prolonged to Dec. 31.
Chief Learn Sgt. of the Air Pressure JoAnne S. Bass reiterated the value of making certain company associates are shielding on their own, some others and the unit.
“The readiness of our Air Power, and the life of our individuals, are immediately contingent on the means of our Airmen to have out the mission, whenever, everywhere,” stated Bass. “While each and every exemption ask for is getting diligently reviewed and presented to commanders, I’d inquire every Airmen, who isn’t now, to remember to get vaccinated. It’s about defending yourselves, your family, your good friends and your wingmen.”
Data on the status of spiritual lodging requests is present as of December 22, 2021. In the foreseeable future, current COVID-19 stats can be uncovered here.




| Spiritual Lodging REQUESTS | ||||
| MAJCOM/FLDCOM | DAF/APPEALS | |||
| Pending | 8,636 | 152 | ||
| Accepted | ||||
| Disapproved | 2,130 | 135 | ||





Associates who acquire a denial of their spiritual accommodation have 5 calendar times from denial of their ask for to do a person of the pursuing:
1. Commence a COVID-19 vaccination regimen. If the service member signifies their intent is to get started the vaccination routine, commanders may use their discretion to alter the five-day timeline centered on area COVID-19 vaccination provides
2. Submit an attractiveness to the ultimate charm authority for a spiritual accommodation ask for. If a final appeal is denied, the company member will have five calendar times from detect of denial to get started the COVID-19 vaccination regimen
3. If in a position, based mostly upon the absence of a constrained Armed service Support Obligation, the provider member may well request to different or retire on or in advance of April 1, 2022, or no later than the to start with working day of the fifth thirty day period pursuing first or ultimate attraction denial.
Provider users who proceed to refuse to obey a lawful order to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine just after their exemption ask for/closing appeal has been denied or retirement/separation has not been authorised will be issue to initiation of administrative discharge proceedings.
For exceptional steering connected with the Air Power Reserve and Air National Guard refer to attachments to the memo below.
In accordance with the pending Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the discharge characterization will be honorable or standard less than honorable conditions for those people scenarios where by refusing the vaccine is the sole basis of the discharge.