{"id":76845,"date":"2023-10-09T20:58:19","date_gmt":"2023-10-09T20:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/10\/09\/dod-settles-covid-vaccine-mandate-lawsuits-for-18-million\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:58:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:58:56","slug":"dod-settles-covid-vaccine-mandate-lawsuits-for-18-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2023\/10\/09\/dod-settles-covid-vaccine-mandate-lawsuits-for-18-million\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD settles COVID vaccine mandate lawsuits for $1.8 million"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two lawsuits filed by service members<\/a> challenging the Defense Department\u2019s now-defunct COVID-19 vaccine mandate<\/a> have ended in a settlement, according to an agreement<\/a> filed Tuesday in a Florida federal court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge awarded Liberty Counsel, the firm representing plaintiffs in Navy SEALs 1-26 v. Biden and Colonel Financial Management Officer, et al. v. Austin, $1.8 million to cover legal fees incurred during the cases, which were filed following Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin\u2019s fall 2021 announcement that the COVID-19 vaccine would become mandatory for all troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe military COVID shot mandate is dead,\u201d Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel\u2019s chairman, said in a statement. \u201cOur heroic service members can no longer be forced to take this experimental jab that conflicts with their religious convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several lawsuits popped up in the wake of the new mandate, many arguing that troops were unfairly denied religious exemptions<\/a> to the vaccine and therefore faced involuntary separation from service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religious vaccine exemptions have been historically rare<\/a> throughout the services, with medical or administrative exceptions much more common, but still in small numbers. Several hundred religious waivers were granted while the mandate was in effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\t