CCDA INTERIM GUIDANCE REGARDING MEMBERS REQUESTING RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION FROM COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS

[Tony]

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ROUTINE 
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SUBJ/CCDA INTERIM GUIDANCE REGARDING MEMBERS REQUESTING RELIGIOUS 
ACCOMMODATION FROM COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS// 
 
REF/A/MSG/CNO/311913ZAUG21// 
REF/B/MSG/CNO/132050ZOCT21// 
REF/C/MSG/CNO/152239ZNOV21// 
REF/D/MSG/CNO/151203ZDEC21// 
REF/E/DOC/SECDEF/24AUG21// 
REF/F/MSG/SECNAV/302126ZAUG21// 
REF/G/DOC/BUMED/20OCT20// 
REF/H/MSG/COMNAVSPECWARCOM/241857ZSEP21// 
REF/I/DOC/US DIST CT N DIST TX/28MAR22// 
REF/J/DOC/BUPERINST 1730.11A/16MAR20// 
REF/K/DOC/OPNAV/15AUG20// 
REF/L/MSG/CNO/152351ZJAN22// 
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 190/21, 2021-2022 NAVY MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION 
AND REPORTING POLICY. 
REF B IS NAVADMIN 225/21, COVID-19 CONSOLIDATED DISPOSITION AUTHORITY (CCDA). 
REF C IS NAVADMIN 256/21, CCDA GUIDANCE TO COMMANDERS. 
REF D IS NAVADMIN 283/21, CCDA EXECUTION GUIDANCE TO COMMANDERS. 
REF E IS THE SECRETARY OF THE DEFENSE MEMO MANDATING CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 
VACCINATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SERVICE MEMBERS. 
REF F IS ALNAV 062/21, 2021-2022 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY MANDATORY COVID-19 
VACCINATION POLICY. 
REF G IS MANUAL OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, NAVMED P-117, ARTICLE 15- 
105(3)(n)(9). 
REF H IS TRIDENT ORDER NUMBER 12, MANDATORY VACCINATION FOR COVID-19. 
REF I IS U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS ORDER ON 
MOTIONS FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION AND CLASS-WIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION. 
REF J IS BUPERSINST 1730.11A, STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE 
ACCOMMODATION OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. 
REF K IS MILPERSMAN 1730-020, IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. 
REF L IS NAVADMIN 07/22, U.S. NAVY COVID-19 STANDARDIZED OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE 
5.0. 
 
RMKS/1.  Purpose.  To provide interim guidance regarding the actions directed 
in references (A) through (H) for Navy service members who requested 
religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement and who 
were certified by the U.S. District Court order in reference (I) as members 
of a class action in the case of U.S. Navy SEALS 1-26, et al., versus 
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, III, et al.. 
 
2.  Policy.  To ensure immediate compliance with the court order in reference 
(I), this NAVADMIN suspends separation processing and adverse administrative 
consequences of COVID-19 vaccine refusal for Navy service members who 
submitted requests for religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccine 
requirement.  IAW a recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Navy may 
continue to consider the unvaccinated status of Navy service members when 
making deployment, assignment, and other operational decisions. 
 
3.  Applicability.  This NAVADMIN applies only to Navy service members who 
submitted requests for religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccine 
requirement IAW references (J) and (K).  Adverse administrative consequences 
and separation processing described in references (A) through (H) continue to 
apply for personnel who did not submit requests for religious accommodation. 
 
4.  Action.  All adverse administrative consequences of refusing the vaccine, 
described in references (A) through (H), including involuntary administrative 
separation, are hereby suspended for personnel who submitted religious 
accommodation requests IAW references (J) and (K), pending further guidance. 
 
4.a.  In cases where commands have received formal direction to involuntarily 
separate members within ten days based on misconduct (vaccine refusal) and 
those members have not yet separated, DD-214s shall not be issued and members 
are directed to remain on active duty, pending additional guidance.  Commands 
must communicate with the servicing Personnel Support Detachment or 
equivalent in order to halt processing.  Additionally, commands shall inform 
Navy Personnel Command PERS-832 (enlisted), PERS-834 (officers), or PERS-913 
(SELRES) in cases where service members awaiting separation still desire to 
separate. 
 
4.b.  Voluntary resignation, retirement, regular service expiration (EAOS), 
or other involuntary separations on bases other than misconduct for vaccine 
refusal may continue.  Members who submitted requests for religious 
accommodation may cancel or amend previous voluntary retirement requests or 
requests to transfer to the Fleet Reserve.  Time is of the essence for 
updated requests. 
 
4.c.  Additional guidance for other adverse administrative consequences 
described in references (A) through (D) will be provided at a later date. 
 
5.  The Navy may continue to consider the unvaccinated status of Navy service 
members when making deployment, assignment, and other operational decisions. 
Navy service members who are not vaccinated, regardless of exemption status, 
may be temporarily or permanently reassigned based on mission requirements 
IAW previous guidance.  Reference (L) (series) regarding the assignment of 
unvaccinated personnel to operational or deployable units continues to apply. 
 
6.  All unvaccinated Navy service members remain subject to screening testing 
against COVID-19, where required. 
 
7.  If in doubt as to how to adjudicate issues related to separation of a 
Navy service member consistent with this interim guidance, Commanders should 
seek guidance from their chain of command, their staff judge advocate, and/or 
the CCDA before acting.  Commands without an assigned legal advisor may seek 
legal advice from a Region Legal Service Office.  In all cases, Commanders 
are accountable to ensure the health and safety of their command while 
treating every Navy service member with dignity and respect. 
 
8.  Points of contact. 
PERS-8 Active/FTS enlisted separations: *832vaccineadseps.fct(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-8 Officer separations: *PERS-834(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-8 Active/FTS/TAR enlisted retirements: 
*Enlisted_Active_Duty_Retirements(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-8 Active/FTS/TAR officer retirements: *pers_835_retirements(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-8 Officer and enlisted promotion delays: 
NPC_promotionwithholds.fct(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-92 Officer and enlisted definite recalls: *PERS-92(at)navy.mil*. 
PERS-9 Reserve enlisted separations: *913vaccineadseps.fct(at)navy.mil*. 
PERS-97 Officer transitions: *cto.officer(at)navy.mil* 
PERS-97 Enlisted transitions: *cto.enlisted(at)navy.mil* 
OPNAV POC: CAPT Jason Grizzle, *ALTN_N1_NAVY_SCR.FCT(AT)NAVY.MIL*. 
 
9.  Released by VADM John B. Nowell, Jr, COVID Consolidated Disposition 
Authority. 
 
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