Oklahoma Guard commander defends rejecting vaccine mandate as Pentagon warns troops who refuse
Source: Washington Post
The Oklahoma National Guards commanding general Wednesday defended his directive countermanding federal requirements that all U.S. military personnel be vaccinated against the coronavirus, telling troops in a private town hall event that he was following orders from the states Republican governor and meant no disrespect to his superiors at the Pentagon.
Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino, speaking to several dozen members of the Oklahoma National Guard in Oklahoma City, cast himself as an apolitical leader bound by law to answer to Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), who fired the states previous National Guard commander last week and ordered Mancino the next day to issue a policy allowing members to avoid the vaccine.
The extraordinary move by Stitt has prompted interest among multiple governors and National Guard commanders to explore similar policies in their states, Oklahoma officials said, while leaving the Biden administration with little recourse but to hold individual service members accountable for refusing lawful orders that their immediate chain of command has disavowed.
I did not initiate a civilian-military crisis just because I thought it was cool, right? Mancino said, according to a recording of his remarks obtained by The Washington Post and later confirmed by the general in an interview.
Mancino said during the town hall that he had consulted with National Guard lawyers and appeared to point out a path for the Pentagon if it wishes to assert its authority, saying that if he is placed on federal orders, he will carry out the vaccination mandate, which is a centerpiece of President Bidens strategy for bringing the pandemic under control. The general showed deference to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in his remarks, noting that the two had served together in Afghanistan and joking that the secretary is a very big individual who can crush me like a bug with his hands.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/11/17/vaccine-mandate-oklahoma-national-guard/
Prepare to get crushed.
OAITW r.2.0
(24,279 posts)was, state-wise, your national profile went to zip.
spooky3
(34,401 posts)Bev54
(10,037 posts)He is defying a lawful order, he should be booted.
Angleae
(4,479 posts)Failure to obey order or regulation
Any person subject to this chapter on Article 92 who
(1) violates or fails to obey any lawful general order or regulation;
(2) having knowledge of any other lawful order issued by a member of the armed forces, which it is his duty to obey, fails to obey the order; or
(3) is derelict in the performance of his duties; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Bev54
(10,037 posts)Kaleva
(36,240 posts)"When Army National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the
commander-in-chief of his or her respective state, territory (Guam, Virgin Islands), or
commonwealth (Puerto Rico). "
https://www.nationalguard.mil/About-the-Guard/Army-National-Guard/Resources/News/ARNG-Media/FileId/137011/
cstanleytech
(26,220 posts)resign from his position.
DURHAM D
(32,603 posts)TomSlick
(11,086 posts)If DoD offered to de-certify the OK Guard and cut-off federal funding, the OK Governor and Adjutant General would flip like pancakes at IHOP.
C_U_L8R
(44,983 posts)But this self absorbed prick would rather mutiny. Proceed, dumbass.
monkeyman1
(5,109 posts)federal mandate - pentagon - mean's gov. stitt has no control over this matter ! a federal military mandate is a direct order ! failing to do so is a court Marshall offence !dishonorably discharge & loss of all benefits . gov. stitt has not one word of say so in this matter.
canuckledragger
(1,636 posts)That's exactly what he did though. All for attention, and DEFINITELY right-wing biased.
If these cons never lied, they wouldn't have anything to say at all.
Baked Potato
(7,733 posts)The one-star go-fer needs to be reigned in. National Security issue.
Putin is clinking some champagne crystal over these numb nuts helping Russia.
Skittles
(153,104 posts)court martial this fucking lunatic
DVRacer
(707 posts)So the Oklahoma National Guard is jointly funded by the federal and state government. Its commander in chief is the Governor and this General is the equivalent of Oklahomas secretary of defense. So his boss said we aint mandating vaccines and he has to follow that order.
If you read it carefully though he gives the solution. Due to the way the Guards are funded they can be Federalized think about the deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. When they are Federal they now fall under the President as commander in chief and subject to his orders.
So Federalize them for 60 days to be vaccinated and then release them back to the State. Discharge if any individual refuses same as active duty.
aggiesal
(8,907 posts)refusing an order and have him replaced and overturn his countermanding order.
ZonkerHarris
(24,204 posts)malthaussen
(17,175 posts)He could weasel by saying the Guard are not yet federalized, but I do believe he is obliged to follow DoD orders anyway.
-- Mal
toughtony
(88 posts)Biden has already given the military soldiers an option out of the vaccine: religion OR some other hardship. But the commanders cannot decide for the whole of their troops to go against and order when an order has been issued. The commanders military-wide got the same email as everyone else, including contractors. The commanders action is just for show to impress trump and his Nazi party.
Kaleva
(36,240 posts)Zorro
(15,722 posts)if it meant refusing to carry out a lawful directive from his overarching military chain of command.
The Republicans are promoting insurrection and mutiny within our military ranks.
Kaleva
(36,240 posts)Until the NG is federalized or called to duty by the federal government, it remains under the control of the state governor.
paleotn
(17,876 posts)Good luck with that.
BlueIdaho
(13,582 posts)Then hollow out the Oklahoma Guard. Remove all military equipment in the state and give every NG member refusing a vaccine a dishonorable discharge.
When political bullshit runs up against the US military chain of command it needs to suffer catastrophically.
Kaleva
(36,240 posts)Kaleva
(36,240 posts)"When Army National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the
commander-in-chief of his or her respective state, territory (Guam, Virgin Islands), or
commonwealth (Puerto Rico). "
https://www.nationalguard.mil/About-the-Guard/Army-National-Guard/Resources/News/ARNG-Media/FileId/137011/