The U.S. military could owe billions in back pay and legal fees depending on the outcome of three class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of service members who allege they were wrongfully discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Among the claims made by the plaintiffs are that the military could not legally mandate vaccines issued under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), as was the case with the COVID-19 vaccines, and that it was nearly impossible for service members requesting a religious exemption to have those requests approved
Dale Saran, who is the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, told Fox Business his legal team represents “basically everybody who got kicked out, discharged or dropped to the IRR [individual ready reserve] as a result of not taking the vaccine.”
This could include more than 100,000 former service members, according to the plaintiffs’ legal team, led by Saran and two other attorneys: Brandon Johnson and J. Andrew Meyer.
It’s unclear how many service members were involuntarily discharged for refusing the vaccine, but estimates range from more than 8,000 to just under 2,000.
Fox News last week reported, “thousands of troops unsuccessfully sought religious exemptions from the inoculation, including 8,945 soldiers, 10,800 airmen and guardians, 4,172 sailors, and 3,717 Marines.” . . . .
. . . . The three lawsuits — Bassen v. The United States of America, Botello v. The United States of America and Harkins v. The United States of America — were filed Aug. 4 in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, “seeking back pay and other compensation, as well as reinstatement and other non-monetary relief, for all current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces harmed by the illegal COVID-19 vaccine mandate.”
The U.S. government has filed motions to dismiss each of the three lawsuits.
According to the lawsuits, the U.S. government “has systematically violated service members’ religious liberties” via a “sham religious accommodation process,” and violated informed consent laws, the Military Pay Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Saran told Fox Business there are three separate lawsuits, largely because of the way the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is set up.
According to the plaintiffs’ legal team, Bassen v. United States “is a class action filed on behalf of the approximately 8,500 active-duty service members who were involuntarily discharged … as well as any other active-duty service members who were forced into early retirement or were constructively discharged due to their vaccination status.”
This includes “all former service members (except Coast Guard) who were on Title 10 active-duty orders when discharged.”
Botello v. United States is a class action seeking back pay and “other remedies for 70,000-100,000 members of the Air and Army National Guard, and for reserve members of all services, who were dropped from active-duty orders or active status, denied pay or benefits or prohibited from participating in drills, training, and other duties.”
This includes “all service members (except Coast Guard) on Title 32 Orders in the National Guard or Reserve.”
In turn, Harkins v. United States is a “class action filed on behalf of the active-duty and reserve Coast Guard members who were involuntarily discharged due to their unvaccinated status, as well as any other Coast Guard members who were forced into early retirement or were constructively discharged due to their vaccination status.” . . . . (read more on Children’s Health Defense)
Watch:
Unlawful Orders: Military Could Owe Billions to Service Members Involuntarily Discharged for Refusing COVID Shots
CHD interview with Dale Saran
Unlawful Orders: Military Could Owe Billions to Service Members Involuntarily Discharged for Refusing COVID Shots https://t.co/51Jgtvp0AJ
— Children’s Health Defense (@ChildrensHD) November 29, 2023
Leave a Comment