lawrocket 3 #1 December 22, 2003 A federal judge just enjoined forcing anthrax vaccine on US troops. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031222/ap_on_re_us/military_anthrax Judge Halts Forced Military Anthrax Shots 31 minutes ago Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo! By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - The Pentagon must stop forcing servicemen and women to take the anthrax vaccination against their will, unless President Bush signs a special order, a judge ruled Monday. Millions of shots have been given and hundreds of service members have been punished for refusing them since the mandatory vaccinations started in 1998. The judge ruled that the anthrax vaccinations fell under a 1998 law prohibiting the use of certain experimental drugs unless people being given the drug consent or the president waives the consent requirement. Congress passed the law following fears that the use of such drugs may have led to unexplained illnesses among veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War (news - web sites) that have come to be known as Gulf War Syndrome (news - web sites). "The women and men of our armed forces put their lives on the line every day to preserve and safeguard the freedoms that all Americans cherish and enjoy," said Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of the United States District Court in Washington. "Absent an informed consent or presidential waiver, the United States cannot demand that members of the armed forces also serve as guinea pigs for experimental drugs," Sullivan said. The Pentagon had no immediate comment. Sullivan rejected the government concern that military discipline would be harmed if courts intervene between soldiers and their military superiors. Believing Iraq and other nations had produced anthrax weapons, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen in 1997 ordered the armed forces immunized. Shots started in 1998 for soldiers in areas believed to present the highest risk of infection — the Persian Gulf, then Korea. ---------------- Comment: I can see th einformed consent issue. No soldier, faced with the threat of time in the stockade for refusing, can have any true "informed consent." I had never thought of it that way, and it's a heckuva good argument. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chute 0 #2 December 22, 2003 I had no choice. Everyone on my boat had to get it or get written up. For those who don't know. Getting written up and have this put in your service record. Is not good.Bottomless Beers and Blue Skies! * Brother_Brian * D.S.W.F.S.B. #2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #3 December 23, 2003 I got the series too. I think I have one more still, have to look at my records. I find it ironic that those down in the trenches have no problem with it and the REMFS make a big issue out of it. This is another one of those no one wins type of issues as is debating it on the internet."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #4 December 23, 2003 Very nice to see. I've had 4 of them....The Yellow Fever is MUCH worse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
