GOP dumbassery masquerading as patriotism

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

In the wake of the Department of Defense mandate that all US service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Republicans are seeking to ensure that those who refused to do so and are subsequently forced out "only receive an honorable discharge."

On Tuesday, three GOP senators introduced the "COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act," which builds on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that passed in committee earlier this month. An honorable discharge is the highest category of military separation and gives a veteran full-access to benefits to which their service entitles them.

In a press release, GOP Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Roger Marshall of Kansas, and James Lankford of Oklahoma blasted President Joe Biden's administration for not being sufficiently supportive of the troops.

"It's an insult to our servicemen and women who have served with honor to dishonorably discharge them for refusing the COVID vaccine," said Cruz. "It is the same way we dishonorably discharge those convicted of serious crimes such as treason, desertion, sexual assault, and murder."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-troops-should-only-receive-an-honorable-discharge-for-refusing-covid-vaccine-according-to-a-gop-bill/ar-AAOIcLs

As it stands now I believe it would be a general discharge not a dishonorable one. Those who are more current with today's military can correct me if I'm wrong.

[The Magistrate]

1. If They Refuse A Legal Order, Sir, They Are Not Serving Honorably

And hence they cannot be discharged honorably.

It's an extremely simple situation.

[pandr32]

4. Agreed

[haele]

2. General, fitness for duty.

Similar to people who can't pass the PRT or became obese for a non-medical reason and just can't lose weight before the next fitness cycle.

They can still work for the government -state or local, maybe not Feds, and they can get any other job that might require a background check without having to justify the discharge.

They also still get VA benefits, just not DoD retirement benefits.

Not bad, but not "great" because they don't continue to get all that pre- taxpayer-funded socialist subsidies added on to their pay to maintain their families, not do they get a rather sweet retainer/pension plus continuing affordable medical benefits and the MWR system usage after they can officially retire (i.e. doing 20 years time in service).
Well, if they're over 20 years TiS, they still can access medical and MWR, but not as sweet a pension, and they can't rejoin via the Reserves or National Guard for what Laz said his friends called "beer and car payment money" if they can't get a better than living wage job to make up for the up to $4k a month extra they could potentially qualify for if they had a family while they were on active duty.

So quitting to refuse a shot is stupid. They're quitting because the military is drawing down and paying closer attention to what skills they actually need instead of shoving bodies around and allowing bro-boys to preen around playing Army and not considering their service a real job.

Haele

[lark]

3. Freaking idiots, hope it loses and big time.

SMH

[Aristus]

5. Goddamned right-wingers. Want everything handed to them on a silver platter.

I had to earn my honorable discharge. You don't get one of those by being a whiny little brat.

[gratuitous]

6. Sen. Marshall was in the Army Reserves for seven years (according to his website)

Senators Cruz and Lankford have a total of bupkis military experience. I don't think I'm inclined to listen too closely to their judgment of what's insulting to those in the service.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Trump's shaman was kicked out of the Navy for refusing an anthrax vaccine.

Trump's shaman was kicked out of the Navy for refusing an anthrax vaccine.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/01/12/navy-career-of-qanon-shaman-ended-after-he-refused-anthrax-vaccine.html