DAF processes religious accommodations requests > Air Force > Article Display

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
The Section of the Air Force is processing a amount of Religious Accommodation Requests for the COVID-19 vaccine. Much more than 10,000 requests from across the Whole Drive have been received, of which close to 2,100 have been disapproved due to military services readiness considerations.
Each request is individually reviewed by Religious Resolution Groups at the wing, garrison, main command and area command amounts, which are produced up of chaplains, professional medical vendors, choose advocates, and other subject matter matter authorities. Religious Resolution Groups make suggestions on pinpointing the the very least restrictive indicates possible to accommodate a sincerely held belief without putting mission accomplishment at chance.
The key command or discipline command stage serves as the approval authority for recommendations about accommodation requests. Every commander establishes if the accommodation can be built without adversely impacting army readiness based mostly on the wellness and safety of the unit and member, device cohesion, and fantastic buy and self-control. If the commander determines the accommodation are unable to be manufactured devoid of adversely impacting any just one of all those elements, he or she will deny the spiritual lodging ask for. At this point, the member has the capability to attractiveness the denial to the Air Power Surgeon Standard.
“Each member’s request is thoroughly regarded as to balance the government’s powerful desire in mission accomplishment with the support member’s sincerely held perception,” mentioned Below Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones. “Although the chaplain could recommend the member’s belief is honest, MAJCOM and FLDCOM commanders have to stability that member’s passions from the general influence on operational readiness, health and fitness and safety of customers and good buy and willpower inside the device.”
Based mostly on the amount of disapproved lodging requests at this point, Airmen and Guardians are encouraged to take into consideration that operational necessities could result in requests for religious lodging becoming denied.
“We’ll carry on to be as transparent and complete as feasible throughout this procedure and update absolutely everyone on the status of requests in a well timed fashion,” Jones extra. “We want to make certain Airmen and Guardians have the details required to make nicely-educated choices.”
To date, much more than 95{22377624ce51d186a25e6affb44d268990bf1c3186702884c333505e71f176b1} of Overall Drive Airmen and Guardians have been vaccinated. The deadline for energetic duty Airmen and Guardians to be vaccinated was Nov. 2, even though Air Pressure Reserve Airmen had till Dec. 2 to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine. The deadline for Air National Guard users was extended to Dec. 31.
Chief Learn Sgt. of the Air Power JoAnne S. Bass reiterated the value of guaranteeing provider members are preserving them selves, others and the unit.
“The readiness of our Air Drive, and the life of our persons, are specifically contingent upon the capability of our Airmen to have out the mission, at any time, any where,” mentioned Bass. “While each individual exemption request is getting diligently reviewed and offered to commanders, I’d request each Airmen, who isn’t presently, to you should get vaccinated. It’s about defending yourselves, your loved ones, your mates and your wingmen.”
Details on the position of religious lodging requests is present as of December 22, 2021. In the long run, updated COVID-19 figures can be observed below.




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





Associates who obtain a denial of their spiritual lodging have five calendar days from denial of their ask for to do just one of the adhering to:
1. Get started a COVID-19 vaccination program. If the provider member implies their intent is to begin the vaccination regimen, commanders may perhaps use their discretion to modify the 5-day timeline primarily based on neighborhood COVID-19 vaccination provides
2. Post an attractiveness to the last charm authority for a spiritual lodging ask for. If a closing charm is denied, the support member will have five calendar times from detect of denial to start out the COVID-19 vaccination program
3. If in a position, centered upon the absence of a restricted Army Support Obligation, the company member may possibly ask for to different or retire on or in advance of April 1, 2022, or no later on than the first day of the fifth month following original or remaining attraction denial.
Company customers who keep on to refuse to obey a lawful get to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine soon after their exemption request/ultimate appeal has been denied or retirement/separation has not been accredited will be subject matter to initiation of administrative discharge proceedings.
For exceptional assistance affiliated with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard refer to attachments to the memo in this article.
In accordance with the pending Fiscal Calendar year 2022 National Protection Authorization Act, the discharge characterization will be honorable or normal underneath honorable conditions for those situations exactly where refusing the vaccine is the sole basis of the discharge.



