Guest guest Posted March 13, 1999 Report Share Posted March 13, 1999 Hi, " 20/20 " had a story on the antrax vaccine last night on television. Did anyone see it? Suzanne Anthrax Vaccinations >From: APE826@... > >23 sailors refuse to take anthrax vaccine > >1999 Associated Press > >NORFOLK, Va. March 11, 1999 > >Twenty-three sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt >have been demoted, fined and given extra duty for refusing to take >anthrax vaccinations, according to the U.S. Navy. > >The Defense Department has encountered resistance as it seeks to >inoculate all 2.4 million active duty and reserve military members by >2005. > >The New York Times reported Thursday that the Marines Corps also has had >more than two dozen Marines in Okinawa refusing the vaccine. > >The vaccinations were ordered a year ago by Defense Secretary >Cohen for all military units sent to the Persian Gulf. > >Navy Capt. Doubleday, a Pentagon spokesman, played down the >extent of the problem, saying " less than one-tenth of 1 percent " of >troops have refused so far to receive the series of shots among some >218,000 personnel already vaccinated against anthrax. > >He noted that Cohen, who has been vaccinated against anthrax as an >example to the troops, didn't authorize the inoculations until he was >assured they were safe. U.S. Army special forces have been receiving >anthrax vaccinations since the 1970s, including annual boosters, >Doubleday said. > > " What we're talking about here are measures, medical measures which are >designed to protect individuals in the U.S. military who may at some >future time be put into a theater where anthrax is a threat, " Doubleday >said at a regular Pentagon briefing. " And this series of vaccinations >will enable service personnel to operate in that kind of an >environment. " > >Doubleday confirmed that U.S. military personnel who refuse the anthrax >shots face dismissal, usually through an administrative process, for >refusing to follow an order. Whether they're honorably or dishonorably >discharged depends on their service record, he said. > >Initially, 38 Roosevelt sailors balked at the vaccinations, which began >two weeks ago as the carrier prepared for a six-month deployment >starting March 26. Some sailors later changed their minds, Navy >officials said. > >In the past year, 50 to 100 service members are known to have resisted >inoculation. In February, 11 California Air Force Reserve pilots chose >to quit rather than take the anthrax vaccine. > >One of them, Airman 1st Class Bettendorf, 25, chose an " other >than honorable " discharge to avoid a special court-martial. He said his >research showed the vaccine is untested and unreliable. > >The Navy confirmed the Roosevelt situation Wednesday following an >inquiry by The Virginian-Pilot, which received an anonymous e-mail >message from a sailor who said sailors were concerned about potential >side effects. > > " I was given nothing to explain what I was taking, so I did my own >research and found disturbing reports, " the sailor said. " We are >scared. " > >Cmdr. Garry Rudolph, a Navy doctor who directs the occupational health >and preventive medicine program at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, >said the anthrax vaccine is safe. > >Navy officials confirmed last year that a sailor on the destroyer USS > S. McCain developed a temporary paralysis after being vaccinated. >Officials said the sailor fully recovered. > >The Navy contends it has provided sailors with information about the >vaccine, answered their questions and offered counseling to those who >initially refused. > >The holdouts on the Roosevelt were charged with disobeying an order and >punished with a reduction in pay, fines, restriction to the ship and >extra duty. > >The Navy refused to identify any of those punished but said they may be >given administrative discharges once the ship returns. > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >If you like orange and blue, then you will love our new web site! >http://www.onelist.com >Onelist: ing connections and information exchange >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >If you have any questions, problems, concerns, etc... please contact Liz at LArmstr853@..., Pat at Ape826@..., Dolly at DBC006@... or Beverly G at Bevalso@.... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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