Federal Judge Grants Relief for Soldiers Denied Religious Exemptions From COVID-19 Vaccine
A Texas federal judge has granted relief for six U.S. Army soldiers and four U.S. Military Academy West Point cadets who were denied requests for religious accommodation from receiving the mandated COVID-19 vaccine.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix on Wednesday ordered the preliminary injunction that prohibits the U.S. Army from taking any disciplinary, punitive, or separation measures against the service members in the case. (pdf)
On Oct. 3, the plaintiffs filed the lawsuit accusing the Army of violating their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment. The plaintiffs were denied accommodations for their “sincerely held religious beliefs” that prevented them from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, according to court documents….