More than 12,000 military service members are refusing the vaccine, and so far they have no success.
There are new tensions within the military because of the lack of approvals.
The services are desperately trying to keep the coronaviruses from spreading and are now besieged with requests for exemptions they are not likely to approve. The exemptions are theoretically available, yet seem impossible to obtain for religious reasons.
The desire to offer compassionate care and guidance to personnel with the need to explain a complicated process that may well be futile are caught in the middle. They have to assess requests from people who may be using religion as an excuse to avoid a vaccine that has become politically charged.
A'Shellarien Lang said that many of them come in thinking that they can make the decision. I do not make the decision. It is a kind of game-changer when they discover that the process has to continue.
Obtaining a religious exemption is a process that has been used before the Pandemic to make decisions such as whether troops on duty can wear head coverings or beards for religious reasons.
The troops must meet with commanders and medical personnel to determine if they have a sincerely held belief. The final decision is made higher up the chain of command and is also based on whether the person's vaccine exemption will pose a risk to mission accomplishment, unit cohesion, the health and safety of the force, and military readiness.
Few troops have been granted religious exemptions in the past. The bar is higher for the force's health and readiness because of the Pandemic.
It's been a bit overwhelming for the troops.
Lang said it had been a lot of interviews and memos. I find that my colleagues are stressed because of the logistical issues of getting the memo done and having to make sure they are keeping up with the process. It is like rapid fire.
The Air Force said religious exemption requests would be answered in 30 days. They have gotten more requests than the other military services, and the lengthy review process makes it difficult to meet the timelines. The Navy, Marine Corps, and Army have all received religious exemption requests. There is no data on the appeal of some that were rejected.
The surge of requests was not anticipated by the Air Force's chief of religious affairs.
An Air Force reserve who requested a religious exemption said she's not optimistic, and she's aware of none approved so far. The woman who asked that her name be kept out of the public eye said that the process was very straightforward and that she didn't need approval.
She said she believes God has a plan for her.
As they speak with service members, the National Guard's joint chaplain office is told to be impartial and follow the process.
Meet the member where they are. He advises the chaplains to let them articulate who they are, how they believe and how they live out their faith. We're just looking for their beliefs. You are looking for consistency in how they follow their beliefs.
Lang said she asks service members what they plan to do if their request is denied, a possibility that some don't expect.
She said that some troops are torn by the fact that God doesn't want them to bevaccinated and that if he doesn't ensure they get the exemption, they will be torn.
If they say this is God's will for my life, and the answer is no, that will shatter their faith because there's no balance. She said there was no room for God to say no. When I create the space to say what if God says no, that opens up another level of faith conversation.
The Air Force reservist who spoke on condition of anonymity said she would retire if her request isn't granted, even though it would mean giving up her G.I. Bill tuition benefits.
The mother of three children said that she would have to give up that. She said it was worth it to not get the tuition benefit. I have no doubt that God will provide for me.
When the vaccine came out, the pregnant woman was concerned about a possible reaction, since her husband is in the Army. The military has granted temporary exemptions to pregnant women, but health officials insist it is safe. Some vaccines were tested on fetal cell lines over decades, and that is one of the reasons why the reservist is against them. Fetal material is not contained in the vaccines.
The Vatican believes that it is morally acceptable for Catholics to get the shot. Some religious leaders have voiced their support for vaccine avoidance.
In many cases, the services provided the chaplains with interview questions such as whether the service member complies with religious practices and whether they participate in activities associated with the belief.
Service members who have previously received religious accommodations are taken into account by the chaplains.
Lang doesn't care how long they've been in church, it's about their current reality of what they believe. They wrap it in religiosity, even though it might be a political decision.
The interviews have been used to make troops more aware of religious personnel and the meetings are triggering longer conversations about other issues.
Lang said that it has been a bridge to some greater ministry.
They are reaching out to each other. The past two years have been challenging for them as they worked with troops facing a wide range of struggles.
The stress on the chaplain corps has been a major one, according to a rabbi. Overall people are good, but they are tired. I think our faith gives us strength to keep going.
