Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Anthrax and Malaria
We had to get another anthrax shot. Some were on their third, others on their fourth of a series of six. I didn’t want to get another, and cited a court’s ruling from December 2003 stating that military personnel could not be forced to get it. I explained to my squad leader that there is no threat of anthrax here and I would be getting out of the military shortly after the end of my deployment. I continued, stating that the anthrax vaccine is intended to protect individuals as opposed to populations, meaning that my not completing the vaccination series did not increase the chances of my buddies getting anthrax, as it is extremely unlikely to transfer it from one person to another.
My squad leader pushed this up the chain of command and told me that though there was a time when the shot could be refused, it was no longer the case. He laid out the scenario for shot refusal: if I refused the shot, I would be taken to the Commander who would give me a lawful order to have the shot. If I still refused, I would be given an Article 15, which is a non judicial, summary punishment. This is kind of like a civilian receiving a ticket. I could accept the Article 15 and would receive a penalty such as loss of pay, loss of rank, confinement to quarters, extra duty, etc. Additionally, in accepting the Article 15, I would agree to get the shot. If I refused the Article 15, I would then be court martialed, which is a military trial.
I told my squad leader that I did not want the shot and he told me that he would let the Commander know. At that point, I was already planning on accepting the Commander’s lawful order to get the shot. I wanted the satisfaction of having Commander to look me in the eye and order me to do something so unnecessary and possibly dangerous. But, when my squad leader got back to me, he said that the Commander empowered (passed the buck to) his platoon sergeants to give the lawful order. I reported to the platoon sergeant and I told him I didn’t want the shot, since there was no need for it. He said he agreed that it was not necessary and he had his own concerns on how it would affect him having another child - Wow, good thing we are planning on adopting future kids. - He hit a few points on the shot’s safety and then he summarized by saying he didn’t like it, but it was the order that came down. I was hoping for the satisfaction of a solemn, direct order, “Specialist Judge, I am giving you a lawful order to get the shot,” but he understandably used the personal touch to which I acquiesced. He had a tough job to do; I didn’t want to make it any harder. I said I would report to the medics.
When I got to the medic’s room, one of them said, “I knew the stragglers would be coming tonight!” I told them I did not want the shot, and for a little dramatic effect, kept repeating, - as they prepped and injected me - “Please don’t give me the shot” and “I do not want the shot”. I also cited the medical creed, “Do no harm!”
Later that evening, I received some mosquito bites and wondered why we were forced to get the anthrax vaccine when there was about a zero probability of getting anthrax, but we were not being provided anti malarial drugs in an area of the world where it was certainly possible to get malaria, especially given that mosquitoes live and breed in standing water in the building where we live. My squad leader said he’d push that up the chain of command.
We had to get another anthrax shot. Some were on their third, others on their fourth of a series of six. I didn’t want to get another, and cited a court’s ruling from December 2003 stating that military personnel could not be forced to get it. I explained to my squad leader that there is no threat of anthrax here and I would be getting out of the military shortly after the end of my deployment. I continued, stating that the anthrax vaccine is intended to protect individuals as opposed to populations, meaning that my not completing the vaccination series did not increase the chances of my buddies getting anthrax, as it is extremely unlikely to transfer it from one person to another.
My squad leader pushed this up the chain of command and told me that though there was a time when the shot could be refused, it was no longer the case. He laid out the scenario for shot refusal: if I refused the shot, I would be taken to the Commander who would give me a lawful order to have the shot. If I still refused, I would be given an Article 15, which is a non judicial, summary punishment. This is kind of like a civilian receiving a ticket. I could accept the Article 15 and would receive a penalty such as loss of pay, loss of rank, confinement to quarters, extra duty, etc. Additionally, in accepting the Article 15, I would agree to get the shot. If I refused the Article 15, I would then be court martialed, which is a military trial.
I told my squad leader that I did not want the shot and he told me that he would let the Commander know. At that point, I was already planning on accepting the Commander’s lawful order to get the shot. I wanted the satisfaction of having Commander to look me in the eye and order me to do something so unnecessary and possibly dangerous. But, when my squad leader got back to me, he said that the Commander empowered (passed the buck to) his platoon sergeants to give the lawful order. I reported to the platoon sergeant and I told him I didn’t want the shot, since there was no need for it. He said he agreed that it was not necessary and he had his own concerns on how it would affect him having another child - Wow, good thing we are planning on adopting future kids. - He hit a few points on the shot’s safety and then he summarized by saying he didn’t like it, but it was the order that came down. I was hoping for the satisfaction of a solemn, direct order, “Specialist Judge, I am giving you a lawful order to get the shot,” but he understandably used the personal touch to which I acquiesced. He had a tough job to do; I didn’t want to make it any harder. I said I would report to the medics.
When I got to the medic’s room, one of them said, “I knew the stragglers would be coming tonight!” I told them I did not want the shot, and for a little dramatic effect, kept repeating, - as they prepped and injected me - “Please don’t give me the shot” and “I do not want the shot”. I also cited the medical creed, “Do no harm!”
Later that evening, I received some mosquito bites and wondered why we were forced to get the anthrax vaccine when there was about a zero probability of getting anthrax, but we were not being provided anti malarial drugs in an area of the world where it was certainly possible to get malaria, especially given that mosquitoes live and breed in standing water in the building where we live. My squad leader said he’d push that up the chain of command.
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