Air Force cadets who refused COVID vaccine will graduate, but won’t receive commissions

Three Air Force Academy cadets who the force initially said would not be allowed to graduate over their refusal to get vaccinated against the coronavirus will receive their degrees this month, but they will not receive commissions.

The Academy’s board conducted a “standard review” and recommended that the three seniors receive Bachelor of Science degrees, according to a press release from the school.

But the Academy also said they “will not be commissioned into the United States Air Force as long as they remain unvaccinated” and that Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall will determine if the graduates will be required to “reimburse the United States for education costs in lieu of service.”

And while the graduates will be awarded their degrees, they will not be permitted to attend the May 25 graduation ceremony.

AIR FORCE CADETS MAY NOT GRADUATE AFTER REFUSING COVID VACCINE

“That has been confirmed and is petty, vindictive, disrespectful and unnecessary,” attorney Mike Rose, who represents one of the unvaccinated cadets, told The Washington Times.

This comes after Air Force officials said earlier this month that four cadets may not graduate or be commissioned as military officers, and that they could be forced to pay back thousands in tuition. The fourth graduate opted to get vaccinated, and will now graduate and become an Air Force officer.

The Pentagon announced last year a vaccine mandate for service members, including for those at military academies.

AIR FORCE CADETS FACE EXPULSION OVER VACCINE MANDATE

FILE – This Friday, Aug. 10, 2007, file photo, shows the logo of the Department of the U.S. Air Force at the United Staes embassy, in Berlin. A new report issued Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, on racial disparities in the Air Force…