On Day One at the U.S. Air Force Academy, new cadets are issued a small book called Contrails. Every Academy graduate knows about Contrails. It contains the fundamental knowledge that dominates their indoctrination into the U.S. military and a cadet’s first year. Probably the best known chapter is “Quotations.” All freshmen are required to know these quotes by heart and recite them upon command.
This quote embodies both service and leadership ideals within the lethal military world. Members of the military voluntarily give up some of their rights and freedoms for the privilege of serving our nation. In return, they are educated, paid and (if honorably discharged) granted broad benefits by the government.
During my 41-plus years in uniform, I wore what they told me to wear, saluted when I needed to salute and took all vaccines as directed; I tried my very best to lead those in my charge to do the same with integrity and courage. That ethic applied to all with whom I served, regardless of race, religion, gender or, much later, sexual preference and identity. We had standards for haircuts, wearing jewelry, tattoos and off-duty behavior. Those standards still exist and are codified in each service. Some stem directly from the Constitution — like restrictions on religious activity while on duty, based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment backed by legal precedent. Violation of Air Force Instruction 1-1, “Air Force Standards” can lead to disciplinary action ranging from the mildest of counseling to imprisonment following conviction by court-martial. You cannot blithely disobey regulations and lawful orders.
The three USAFA senior cadets who refuse to get the COVID vaccine clearly did not internalize their Contrails knowledge, nor did they learn their obligations while in the “Law for Commanders” course all cadets must complete. Their behavior — disobeying a direct verbal order to be vaccinated — if extrapolated, leaves our military at the mercy of whatever whim may strike a service member, especially since their “religious exemption” request did not seem to apply to their numerous earlier vaccines, and the vaccines have been endorsed by every major Christian denomination.
Do you have a fringe belief that you now want to exercise contrary to military regulations? Maybe you find it intolerable to get a haircut? Work on Tuesday? If that’s your belief, I’m all for it — but then you don’t belong in the military and you should resign and pay any debts owed. You are free to practice as you’d like in the civilian world and find a job that matches your proclivities.
But this situation goes beyond merely resigning. These cadets are visibly defying a lawful order put in place by legitimate military authority. They should be prosecuted for this offense under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (“Failure to obey order or regulation”).
During my time in the Air Force, I faced mandatory flu shots every year, semi-annual dental checkups, etc. The military had a vested interest in protecting a national asset on whom they have already spent millions of dollars to train and educate. I was free to question these orders, but if they were legal, I complied.
About three months ago, I was contacted via back channels at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, where I serve as an active member of their advisory board and their designated USAFA rep, by a current cadet’s family who was concerned their cadet, under a friend’s influence, had avoided vaccination. I spoke to the cadet twice, respectful of their beliefs, emphasizing the importance of duty, obligation, and the consequences they might face (even after disenrollment) should they hold out, and their role as a model to younger cadets. Two days later, that cadet was vaccinated.
A military member doesn’t get to pick and choose their “method of training” or requirements to be deemed operational ready — the military makes those decisions independent of the member’s religious beliefs or background. The law-and-order conservative movement, which crows loudly about their love of the military, has supported this principle since their grandparents lined up for uniforms and shots at induction facilities in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts since. Washington ordered smallpox inoculations for the Continental Army for the same reason — operational necessity.
The current USAFA situation would make Patton spin in his grave. Not only are cadets who were ordered to get shots eight months ago still unvaccinated, but their leadership tolerates their insubordination, allowing it to fester. Instead of making examples of them, the defiant cadets now become heroes of the rapidly expanding throngs of the radical right that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 (including one USAFA grad), and continue to spread wild conspiracy theories about vaccines. These leaders have failed to meet Patton’s exhortation to lead, as their subordinates have refused to follow — a recipe for disaster.
To compound this outrage, the Academy and Air Force decided on Saturday, May 21, that they will allow these cadets to graduate with their full BS degree, though they won’t be commissioned unless vaccinated. The public release said that “A decision to reimburse the United States for education costs in lieu of service will be made by the Secretary of the Air Force.” This is a travesty — essentially rewarding insubordination with a free college degree. The Air Force’s record of recouping “education costs” is near zero. They can’t serve enlisted time because they’re not vaccinated. They get the “golden parachute” while their vaccinated classmates serve five or more years. Moreover, past USAFA policy has always been “no commission, no degree” for cadets expelled, even after finishing all academic requirements (except medical discharge).
I wholeheartedly agree with MRFF’s response: “It is the position of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation that these three USAF Academy cadets should be immediately charged and prosecuted under UCMJ Article 92 for their wretched failure to obey the lawful Order of the Secretary of Defense to receive the FDA-approved COVID vaccines. They should be aggressively tried via a General Court Martial and, if convicted, be imprisoned.”
The U.S. Air Force Academy has lost its way. Cynicism will only grow as more cadets see that the Academy publishes one set of rules, but lives by another. USAFA’s core values, in huge aluminum letters, are “Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do.” In taking any other course but swift and severe action against the disobedient, the Academy fails profoundly. It’s as if those letters were really made of iron and are now dripping orange tears of rust onto the Terrazzo marble trodden by thousands before — who still know Patton’s quote like they were 18 years old again.
France is a 1981 USAFA graduate with degrees from Stanford (MS) and Virginia Tech (Ph.D.). He served as the permanent professor and head of the USAFA Department of Astronautics from 2005 until retirement in 2018.
