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Administrative Message
Routine
R 040018Z FEB 99 ZYB MIN PSN 80357J31
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS
//NOOOOO//
NAVADMIN 030/99
MSGID/GENADMIN/NPC-832//
SUBJ/NAVY VACCINATION PROGRAM//
REF/A/DOC/DODINST 6205.2//
REF/B/DOC/DOD Directive 6205.3//
REF/C/DOC/BUMEDINST 6230.15//
REF/D/DOC/SECNAVINST 6230.4//
REF/E/DOC/MILPERSMAN 6320-010//
REF/F/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1910-142//
REF/G/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1910-402//
REF/H/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1910-140//
REF/I/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1910-101//
REF/J/DOC/OPNAVINST 1920.6A//
NARR/REFS A THROUGH C DISCUSS DOD/NAVY REGULAR AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE DEFENSE IMMUNIZATION
PROGRAMS. REF D IMPLEMENTS DON ANTHRAX VACCINATION PROGRAM. REF E IS MILPERSMAN ARTICLE ON
IMMUNIZATION WAIVERS. REF F THROUGH I ARE MILPERSMAN ADSEP ARTICLES. REF J IS OFFICER
ADSEP INSTRUCTION.//
RMKS/1. FOR YEARS, OUR ACTIVE AND RESERVE FORCES HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO RECEIVE
PERIODIC VACCINATIONS TO ENSURE OUR MEMBERS' HEALTH AND WELFARE AROUND THE WORLD AND IN
COMBAT. REF A THROUGH D DOCUMENT THE MANDATORY ANTHRAX VACCINATION PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED AMONG MANY FLEET UNITS. TO DATE, MORE THAN 50,000 NAVY PERSONNEL
HAVE RECEIVED THE FIRST SHOT. HOWEVER THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE REFUSED TO BE
INOCULATED. RECENTLY, BOTH CINCPACFLT AND COMUSNAVCENT HAVE ISSUED EXCELLENT GUIDANCE
WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE AORS REGARDING THE ANTHRAX VACCINATION PROGRAM AND STEPS TO
ADDRESS THE SITUATION OF A SERVICEMEMBER WHO REFUSES INOCULATION. IN RESPONSE TO NUMEROUS
QUERIES FROM THE FLEET, AND USING MANY OF THE POINTS FROM CINCPACFLT'S AND COMUSNAVENT'S
MESSAGES, THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE PROVIDED FOR USE IN ADDRESSING SITUATIONS IN WHICH
MEMBERS REFUSE INOCULATIONS, INCLUDING ANTHRAX. THESE GUIDELINES ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
AND WILL BE INCORPORATED IN A FUTURE CHANGE TO REF E.
2. AS WITH ANY OTHER REQUIRED VACCINATION PROGRAM, COMMANDERS, COMMANDING OFFICERS
AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM,
INCLUDING THE PROVIDING OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, COMPLYING WITH DOCUMENTATION
REQUIREMENTS AND TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION IF SERVICEMEMBERS REFUSE TO BE VACCINATED.
COMMANDERS WILL USE INDIVIDUAL DISCRETION AND MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION REGARDING WHAT
IS APPROPRIATE IN EACH CASE.
A. EDUCATION. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT ALL SERVICEMEMBERS
RECEIVE FULL AND COMPLETE INFORMATION CONCERNING MANDATORY VACCINATIONS, INCLUDING
ANTHRAX. IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED THAT THE ANTHRAX VACCINE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THE USE BY
THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, HAS BEEN USED ROUTINELY FOR DECADES, AND HAS A
SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORTING ITS SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS. THE GOAL IS
TO PROVIDE RELEVANT INFORMATION IN A NON-CONFRONTATIONAL MANNER AND ALLOW TIME FOR
RELUCTANT SERVICEMEMBERS TO MAKE A REASONED DECISION CONCERNING THEIR PARTICIPATION. WITH
THIS APPROACH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF SERVICEMEMBERS WILL PARTICIPATE WILLINGLY IN THE
PROGRAM. THIS PERIOD OF EDUCATION MAY LAST FROM SEVERAL MINUTES TO SEVERAL WEEKS,
DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S QUESTIONS AND THE JUDGEMENT OF THE COMMANDER.
B. VACCINATION PROCEDURES. IT IS CRUCIAL TO DOCUMENT ALL VACCINATIONS PROPERLY. THE
ANTHRAX PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR, IS LONG-TERM AND DOCUMENTATION INTENSIVE. OUR PEOPLE
DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR VACCINATIONS DOCUMENTED ACCURATELY AND COMPLETELY. PERSONNEL WHO
REFUSE VACCINATIONS SHOULD BE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ALLAY FEARS AND CONCERNS.
ONCE THE COMMAND HAS DONE ALL THAT IT CAN TO ANSWER A SERVICEMEMBER'S QUESTIONS AND HAS
PROVIDED SUFFICIENT TIME FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VACCINATION PROGRAM, THE
SERVICEMEMBER SHOULD BE LAWFULLY ORDERED TO RECEIVE THE VACCINATION. IN NO CASE SHOULD
SERVICEMEMBERS BE FORCIBLY VACCINATED AGAINST THEIR EXPRESSED DESIRES.
C. DISCIPLINARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION. SERVICEMEMBERS WHO DISOBEY LAWFUL ORDERS
TO RECEIVE MANDATORY VACCINATIONS, INCLUDING ANTHRAX, AND FAIL TO OBTAIN A WAIVER PER REF
E, MAY SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS: FORMAL
PAGE 13 COUNSELING/WARNING, NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT, COURT-MARTIAL, AND/OR PROCESSING FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE SEPARATION BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT. COMMANDERS AND COMMANDING OFFICERS, AS
ALWAYS, ARE FREE TO CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION, IF ANY, THAT IS BEST SUITED
TO A PARTICULAR SITUATION. SERVICEMEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION MAY
BE GIVEN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, COUNSELING AND EDUCATION
MAY CONTINUE. IF THE SERVICEMEMBER DECIDES TO RECEIVE VACCINATION AFTER DISCIPLINARY
ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE, COMMANDERS MAY CONSIDER SUSPENDING, MITIGATING, REMITTING OR
SETTING ASIDE PUNISHMENT.
3. SERVICEMEMBERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED PUNISHMENT FOR DISOBEYING ORDERS TO RECEIVE MANDATORY
VACCINATIONS MAY BE PROCESSED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SEPARATION FOR MISCONDUCT DUE TO
COMMISSION OF A SERIOUS OFFENSE IF ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION IS SUBMITTED. HOWEVER,
PROCESSING IS NOT MANDATORY, AND THIS MEASURE SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A LAST RESORT. IF
THIS COURSE IS DEEMED APPROPRIATE, PROCESS ENLISTED PERSONNEL IAW WITH REFS F AND G AND
OFFICERS IAW REF J. LEAST FAVORABLE CHARACTERIZATION WILL BE GENERAL UNDER HONORABLE
CONDITIONS. SERVICEMEMBERS MAY BE PROCESSED FOR OTHER DISCHARGE IF THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL
SEVERE MISCONDUCT THAT CONSTITUTES A BASIS FOR PROCESSING. REFS H THROUGH J REFER.
4. OUR VACCINATION PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO OUR WARFIGHTING READINESS, AS WELL AS A TOOL IN
ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF OUR PERSONNEL. THE ABOVE GUIDELINES PROVIDE YOU THE
DISCRETION AND LATITUDE NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY MAINTAIN GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE AT
YOUR COMMANDS. POC FOR ENLISTED SEPARATIONS IS CDR JOHNSON (NPC-832) AT (901) 874-4431/DSN
882 or e-mail P832@PERSNET.NAVY>MIL OR P830@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL . POC FOR OFFICER
SEPARATIONS IS LCDR KLIPP/NPC-834D) AT (901) 874-4420/DSN 882.
5. RELEASED BY VADM D. T. OLIVER, N1.//
BT
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