1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,607 Hey , good evening marines . Uh , it's 2 00:00:04,607 --> 00:00:06,829 good to see you again . I , I hope that 3 00:00:06,829 --> 00:00:08,829 uh I'm talking to some marines that 4 00:00:08,829 --> 00:00:11,210 were here last week and uh , and if not , 5 00:00:11,220 --> 00:00:13,164 maybe a few of you had a chance to 6 00:00:13,164 --> 00:00:15,250 watch the facebook live recording 7 00:00:15,250 --> 00:00:17,306 that's been hung for the past week . 8 00:00:17,306 --> 00:00:19,306 But I'm also certain that there's a 9 00:00:19,306 --> 00:00:21,417 number of you that are joining us for 10 00:00:21,417 --> 00:00:23,528 the first time tonight . So I want to 11 00:00:23,528 --> 00:00:25,639 kind of frame what we're trying to do 12 00:00:25,639 --> 00:00:27,750 here . Right . This is a conversation 13 00:00:27,750 --> 00:00:29,750 between marines as I , as I offered 14 00:00:29,750 --> 00:00:31,917 last week , I see this is no different 15 00:00:31,917 --> 00:00:34,028 than Any number of formations . We've 16 00:00:34,028 --> 00:00:36,470 all been in on a Friday break formation , 17 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:38,480 bringing in Titan School Circle and 18 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:40,424 Talk about what's on your mind and 19 00:00:40,424 --> 00:00:42,536 clearly what's on your mind right now 20 00:00:42,536 --> 00:00:44,591 is the COVID-19 vaccine . And that's 21 00:00:44,591 --> 00:00:46,813 the way I'm approaching this . We had a 22 00:00:46,813 --> 00:00:48,924 number of questions last week . We've 23 00:00:48,924 --> 00:00:50,980 had a number of questions since last 24 00:00:50,980 --> 00:00:52,758 week that you submitted to have 25 00:00:52,758 --> 00:00:54,702 answered . So I think I have a , I 26 00:00:54,702 --> 00:00:56,813 personally have a pretty good idea of 27 00:00:56,813 --> 00:00:58,980 what it is you want to talk about . Um 28 00:00:58,980 --> 00:01:01,091 kind of the rules as we frame this is 29 00:01:01,091 --> 00:01:02,980 that if you are currently serving 30 00:01:02,980 --> 00:01:04,980 Marine and Marine Forces Reserve or 31 00:01:04,980 --> 00:01:07,100 Marine forces South , you can type 32 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:09,060 questions in the chat just say I'm 33 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:11,282 currently serving marine and this is my 34 00:01:11,282 --> 00:01:13,393 question and we'll do the best we can 35 00:01:13,393 --> 00:01:15,616 to get to you . Um , and I know this is 36 00:01:15,616 --> 00:01:17,504 gonna be a really heavy topic and 37 00:01:17,504 --> 00:01:19,504 that's okay . Right . I did want to 38 00:01:19,504 --> 00:01:21,671 share one thing with you before before 39 00:01:21,671 --> 00:01:23,893 we just went on the air , I was able to 40 00:01:23,893 --> 00:01:25,893 walk down to the track here And the 41 00:01:25,893 --> 00:01:27,960 marines of the , of the command have 42 00:01:27,970 --> 00:01:30,980 decided they're going to run a 246 mile 43 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:33,101 marathon in celebration of the Marine 44 00:01:33,101 --> 00:01:35,323 Corps birthday and to go down there and 45 00:01:35,323 --> 00:01:37,379 spend some time with them tonight as 46 00:01:37,379 --> 00:01:39,601 they were doing that , it just reminded 47 00:01:39,601 --> 00:01:39,090 me , you know , how blessed we actually 48 00:01:39,090 --> 00:01:41,330 are . And it also reminded me of the 49 00:01:41,330 --> 00:01:43,441 pause at the very beginning of this . 50 00:01:43,441 --> 00:01:45,663 Regardless of the difficult topic we're 51 00:01:45,663 --> 00:01:47,886 gonna talk about , I want to wish you a 52 00:01:47,886 --> 00:01:50,430 very , very happy birthday . Yeah . And 53 00:01:50,430 --> 00:01:53,860 why ? Because like I started last week , 54 00:01:54,340 --> 00:01:56,673 each and every one of you matters to me . 55 00:01:56,673 --> 00:01:58,618 I'm not being ordered to do this , 56 00:01:58,618 --> 00:02:00,729 nobody's telling me to do this . This 57 00:02:00,729 --> 00:02:02,729 isn't part of some program each and 58 00:02:02,729 --> 00:02:04,896 every one of your service matters . It 59 00:02:04,896 --> 00:02:06,840 doesn't mean that we can't , or we 60 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,007 don't have to make hard decisions . We 61 00:02:09,007 --> 00:02:11,390 have to . But I'm very , very familiar 62 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,622 being a drilling reservist for almost a 63 00:02:13,622 --> 00:02:15,789 quarter century myself . The amount of 64 00:02:15,789 --> 00:02:17,830 sacrifice that you put into uh to 65 00:02:17,830 --> 00:02:21,330 abiding by your service obligation and 66 00:02:21,330 --> 00:02:23,552 the amount of friction that enters into 67 00:02:23,552 --> 00:02:25,719 that all the time . And this is one of 68 00:02:25,719 --> 00:02:27,830 those moments . So I'm trying to work 69 00:02:27,830 --> 00:02:29,830 hard for you tonight to answer your 70 00:02:29,830 --> 00:02:31,997 questions in the room with me here . I 71 00:02:31,997 --> 00:02:34,219 got Sergeant major Ruiz off to my right 72 00:02:34,219 --> 00:02:36,274 and then there's a team here with me 73 00:02:36,274 --> 00:02:38,497 also so that if questions come in and I 74 00:02:38,497 --> 00:02:40,663 don't have ready access to the precise 75 00:02:40,663 --> 00:02:42,719 information you need , then they can 76 00:02:42,719 --> 00:02:44,886 help me with that desired end state is 77 00:02:44,886 --> 00:02:46,940 not to coerce you or threaten you 78 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,984 nothing like that . It's simply to 79 00:02:48,984 --> 00:02:51,450 empower you to make the best decisions 80 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,090 possible for you . As the looming 81 00:02:54,090 --> 00:02:56,820 deadlines come at us last week , I 82 00:02:56,830 --> 00:02:58,770 guessed that I probably had a 83 00:02:58,780 --> 00:03:01,520 disproportionate number of leaders on 84 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,742 the call who were trying to frame their 85 00:03:03,742 --> 00:03:05,853 understanding of the issues that they 86 00:03:05,853 --> 00:03:07,687 could coach and mentor . They're 87 00:03:07,687 --> 00:03:09,798 marines . Um , and kind of looking at 88 00:03:09,798 --> 00:03:11,853 who might have been on last week . I 89 00:03:11,853 --> 00:03:14,076 think that was right . Master sergeants 90 00:03:14,076 --> 00:03:16,131 and captains and majors and guns and 91 00:03:16,131 --> 00:03:18,353 staff sergeants and ngos . So I'm going 92 00:03:18,353 --> 00:03:20,464 to frame most of my comments targeted 93 00:03:20,464 --> 00:03:22,687 to that audience if I'm wrong or if I'm 94 00:03:22,687 --> 00:03:24,853 missing the mark , just let us know in 95 00:03:24,853 --> 00:03:27,020 the comments section . I can't see the 96 00:03:27,020 --> 00:03:29,131 comments but with those who get to me 97 00:03:29,131 --> 00:03:31,353 and we'll try to address your questions 98 00:03:31,353 --> 00:03:33,353 so we'll go ahead and get started . 99 00:03:33,353 --> 00:03:35,353 First question that we have go over 100 00:03:35,353 --> 00:03:36,560 some of it fine . 101 00:03:38,940 --> 00:03:41,450 Okay , so the deadlines , I think most 102 00:03:41,450 --> 00:03:43,450 of us , you know , certainly for me 103 00:03:43,450 --> 00:03:45,283 when I was out there drilling on 104 00:03:45,283 --> 00:03:47,228 reserve as a reserve as one orders 105 00:03:47,228 --> 00:03:49,061 right now , I would have thought 106 00:03:49,061 --> 00:03:50,894 December 28 , that's my deadline 107 00:03:50,894 --> 00:03:54,250 December 28 . But in reality December 108 00:03:54,250 --> 00:03:56,570 28 is the date that the Secretary of 109 00:03:56,570 --> 00:03:58,990 the Navy has said . All reservists 110 00:03:58,990 --> 00:04:01,157 within the Department of the Navy must 111 00:04:01,157 --> 00:04:03,730 be fully vaccinate . That means two 112 00:04:03,730 --> 00:04:07,440 weeks plus your last vaccination . So 113 00:04:07,450 --> 00:04:09,561 you're talking december 14th for your 114 00:04:09,561 --> 00:04:11,728 vaccination . You're either you're J . 115 00:04:11,728 --> 00:04:14,210 And J one shot series or if you're if 116 00:04:14,210 --> 00:04:16,630 you select the moderna series , Your 117 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,570 real deadline actually back it up 118 00:04:18,570 --> 00:04:20,626 another month . You're talking about 119 00:04:20,626 --> 00:04:22,737 November 17 for your first deadline . 120 00:04:22,737 --> 00:04:24,792 Those are the gates that you have to 121 00:04:24,792 --> 00:04:27,014 understand . That's your decision space 122 00:04:27,014 --> 00:04:29,014 and decision space that you have to 123 00:04:29,014 --> 00:04:32,260 explain to your marines question we 124 00:04:32,260 --> 00:04:34,360 received general was talking about 125 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,650 marines volunteered . Bye . 126 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,840 Okay so the I . R . R . Uh 127 00:04:41,850 --> 00:04:44,072 look at this in two different ways . If 128 00:04:44,072 --> 00:04:46,017 you're an obligated marine , which 129 00:04:46,017 --> 00:04:47,961 means that you're on probably your 130 00:04:47,961 --> 00:04:50,017 first contract and you're working on 131 00:04:50,017 --> 00:04:52,350 your first six year enlistment contract , 132 00:04:52,350 --> 00:04:54,628 let's say . Or you're an R . O . C . P . 133 00:04:54,628 --> 00:04:54,270 Reserve officer commissioning program . 134 00:04:54,270 --> 00:04:56,214 Lieutenant or captain . And you're 135 00:04:56,214 --> 00:04:58,580 still working off your initial uh 136 00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:02,280 contract , you cannot voluntarily drop 137 00:05:02,290 --> 00:05:04,910 to the I . R . R . You will be in 138 00:05:04,910 --> 00:05:07,077 voluntarily dropped to the I . R . R . 139 00:05:07,077 --> 00:05:09,243 When the deadlines are missed . If you 140 00:05:09,243 --> 00:05:11,577 elect not to take the vaccine . However , 141 00:05:11,577 --> 00:05:13,743 if you have commit that completed your 142 00:05:13,743 --> 00:05:15,854 initial contract and you're out there 143 00:05:15,854 --> 00:05:18,077 as a non obligated marine which most of 144 00:05:18,077 --> 00:05:20,780 you know what that is than at any time 145 00:05:20,780 --> 00:05:23,300 you can voluntarily drop to the I . R . 146 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:25,380 R . A couple of questions from a 147 00:05:25,380 --> 00:05:27,491 lieutenant colonel . I'll just assume 148 00:05:27,491 --> 00:05:29,436 that lieutenant colonel has say 18 149 00:05:29,436 --> 00:05:32,290 years of service , good service in and 150 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:34,690 if he or she dropped to the I . R . R . 151 00:05:34,700 --> 00:05:36,950 And they could finish their service of 152 00:05:36,950 --> 00:05:38,950 the last two years . They could get 153 00:05:38,950 --> 00:05:41,117 points . Get good years and make it to 154 00:05:41,117 --> 00:05:43,283 a 20 year retirement without having to 155 00:05:43,283 --> 00:05:45,394 take the vaccine . There are a number 156 00:05:45,394 --> 00:05:47,561 of caveats here and I imagine I'll get 157 00:05:47,561 --> 00:05:49,228 some questions on those about 158 00:05:49,228 --> 00:05:51,117 ramifications and consequences of 159 00:05:51,117 --> 00:05:53,228 dropping to the I . R . But I'll wait 160 00:05:53,228 --> 00:05:56,780 to get the questions yeah drop into the 161 00:05:56,780 --> 00:05:59,590 IR voluntarily . Is it true that they 162 00:05:59,590 --> 00:06:03,320 need to do ? Yes . Okay so so that's 163 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,710 key . So think about these deadlines we 164 00:06:05,710 --> 00:06:08,410 talked about you know you cannot you 165 00:06:08,410 --> 00:06:11,660 cannot officially refuse the vaccine , 166 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:13,392 notify the service that you're 167 00:06:13,392 --> 00:06:15,392 officially refusing the vaccine and 168 00:06:15,392 --> 00:06:17,170 then still expect to be able to 169 00:06:17,170 --> 00:06:19,550 voluntarily drop . So if you're still 170 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,830 wrestling with your decision you need 171 00:06:22,830 --> 00:06:24,997 to understand your decision space here 172 00:06:25,340 --> 00:06:27,810 And understand these first gates that 173 00:06:27,810 --> 00:06:30,032 we are talking about . If you blow past 174 00:06:30,032 --> 00:06:32,199 all the gates and you haven't received 175 00:06:32,199 --> 00:06:34,380 your your shot and it's December 21 I 176 00:06:34,380 --> 00:06:36,780 would say you probably are placing your 177 00:06:36,780 --> 00:06:38,780 ability to drop into the are are in 178 00:06:38,780 --> 00:06:42,140 jeopardy . Okay . However if you say by 179 00:06:42,140 --> 00:06:45,790 november 15th you decide I'm not 180 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,967 ready to commit one way or the other . 181 00:06:47,967 --> 00:06:49,911 I need more time or I can take the 182 00:06:49,911 --> 00:06:52,022 vaccine and I'm trying to preserve my 183 00:06:52,022 --> 00:06:54,133 retirement . And also I don't want to 184 00:06:54,133 --> 00:06:56,300 give up the title of of serving marine 185 00:06:56,300 --> 00:06:56,160 at this time . You can drop to the I . 186 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,700 R . R . But you can't do it until you 187 00:06:58,700 --> 00:07:00,940 cannot do it after the deadline passes 188 00:07:00,940 --> 00:07:03,107 then you will be involuntarily removed 189 00:07:03,107 --> 00:07:06,760 to the I . R . R . Over 18 . 190 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,760 Your service There is a 12 year service 191 00:07:10,740 --> 00:07:14,160 john are voluntary IR 192 00:07:14,540 --> 00:07:17,460 requirement for a vaccine 19 193 00:07:18,340 --> 00:07:20,396 Come back and finish their service . 194 00:07:20,396 --> 00:07:23,570 Yeah . So uh we did some research on 195 00:07:23,570 --> 00:07:25,737 this uh anticipating this question and 196 00:07:25,737 --> 00:07:27,792 we got a few of these questions . So 197 00:07:27,792 --> 00:07:30,014 let's take that marine let's say you've 198 00:07:30,014 --> 00:07:32,126 got 10 or 12 years and and you've got 199 00:07:32,126 --> 00:07:34,237 almost a decade left to get to 20 the 200 00:07:34,237 --> 00:07:36,459 consequences of dropping to the I . R . 201 00:07:36,459 --> 00:07:38,840 You can't be promoted . You won't be 202 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,062 screened for any schools . You can't go 203 00:07:41,062 --> 00:07:43,284 to P . M . E . Resident P . M . E . You 204 00:07:43,284 --> 00:07:45,229 gotta make good years for the next 205 00:07:45,229 --> 00:07:46,951 decade or so in order to reach 206 00:07:46,951 --> 00:07:49,062 retirement and then you might reach a 207 00:07:49,062 --> 00:07:51,620 mandatory time and grade problems that 208 00:07:51,630 --> 00:07:53,630 where you're going to get separated 209 00:07:53,630 --> 00:07:57,050 anyway . So the I . R . R . Option if 210 00:07:57,050 --> 00:07:59,161 you're close enough to retirement say 211 00:07:59,161 --> 00:08:01,161 within three years . For example if 212 00:08:01,161 --> 00:08:03,161 we're talking about that lieutenant 213 00:08:03,161 --> 00:08:05,106 colonel or a master sergeant is it 214 00:08:05,106 --> 00:08:07,217 could be a viable option for you . If 215 00:08:07,217 --> 00:08:09,217 you are probably you know say eight 216 00:08:09,217 --> 00:08:11,272 years out or more . It will be in my 217 00:08:11,272 --> 00:08:13,494 opinion it will be difficult for you to 218 00:08:13,494 --> 00:08:15,328 reach 20 years to receive a full 219 00:08:15,328 --> 00:08:17,550 retirement in your case the I . R . R . 220 00:08:17,550 --> 00:08:19,661 Is probably what I would characterize 221 00:08:19,661 --> 00:08:22,080 as a waiting area where you can get , 222 00:08:22,090 --> 00:08:24,670 you can collect more facts , you can 223 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,736 you can assimilate information as it 224 00:08:26,736 --> 00:08:28,791 comes and then you can make the best 225 00:08:28,791 --> 00:08:30,920 decision possible . But if you intend 226 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,142 to reach a retirement you're gonna have 227 00:08:33,142 --> 00:08:35,260 to return either to the cinema or to 228 00:08:35,260 --> 00:08:36,260 the SMC are 229 00:08:38,540 --> 00:08:41,630 yeah , if you're coming back you have 230 00:08:41,630 --> 00:08:43,950 to be vaccinated . So essentially this 231 00:08:43,950 --> 00:08:45,950 is giving you time to make the best 232 00:08:45,950 --> 00:08:47,940 decision possible . But just to 233 00:08:47,940 --> 00:08:50,480 preserve all of your benefits and 234 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,702 retirement , you ultimately have to get 235 00:08:52,702 --> 00:08:54,758 vaccinated and return to the SMC are 236 00:08:54,758 --> 00:08:56,758 the island . So this question comes 237 00:08:56,758 --> 00:09:00,450 from 4th talking about , okay 238 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,160 use the vaccine process for separation . 239 00:09:04,740 --> 00:09:07,590 They have six or more years . Like 240 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,670 would they rate opportunity for an ad 241 00:09:10,670 --> 00:09:13,050 set ? Yeah , this is a great question 242 00:09:13,060 --> 00:09:15,440 from the mall . So yes , the Marine 243 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,662 Corps separations manual applies here . 244 00:09:17,662 --> 00:09:19,607 If you have more than six years of 245 00:09:19,607 --> 00:09:21,662 service , if you ask for it , you're 246 00:09:21,662 --> 00:09:24,180 entitled to a hearing . All right . So , 247 00:09:24,180 --> 00:09:28,170 so that is your right now . If if you 248 00:09:28,170 --> 00:09:30,630 go through the hearing and uh and the 249 00:09:30,630 --> 00:09:33,830 service decides not to separate you at 250 00:09:33,830 --> 00:09:35,997 this time . You still cannot be in the 251 00:09:35,997 --> 00:09:38,163 Fleet Marine Force last week we talked 252 00:09:38,163 --> 00:09:40,330 about this . Think of the Fleet Marine 253 00:09:40,330 --> 00:09:42,441 forces for four legs on a chair , you 254 00:09:42,441 --> 00:09:45,510 have uh one meth to meth three meth and 255 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,340 MfR those are the four legs of the 256 00:09:48,340 --> 00:09:50,820 chair and it's it's the operational arm 257 00:09:50,820 --> 00:09:52,709 of the Marine corps . It's who we 258 00:09:52,709 --> 00:09:54,876 deploy and the time of war . So if you 259 00:09:54,876 --> 00:09:57,630 have not , if you have not received a 260 00:09:57,630 --> 00:10:00,820 vaccine and you're you're going to be 261 00:10:00,820 --> 00:10:02,876 sent to the I . R . R . And you will 262 00:10:02,876 --> 00:10:05,150 not be able to , even if you retained 263 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,550 the separations hearing , you'll still 264 00:10:07,550 --> 00:10:09,883 be involuntarily place in the I . R . R . 265 00:10:09,883 --> 00:10:11,550 And then the other issues and 266 00:10:11,550 --> 00:10:13,606 consequences will still apply to you 267 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,950 the F . Y . As it's currently written 268 00:10:19,340 --> 00:10:21,396 and then in the center . So it's not 269 00:10:21,396 --> 00:10:23,830 law . Now this individual is saying 270 00:10:23,830 --> 00:10:26,380 that there is covid vaccination refusal 271 00:10:26,390 --> 00:10:28,870 would result in a characterization of 272 00:10:28,870 --> 00:10:31,310 service of honorable . Are you willing 273 00:10:31,310 --> 00:10:33,477 to exercise tactical patience and wait 274 00:10:33,477 --> 00:10:35,366 until the India is passed to give 275 00:10:35,366 --> 00:10:37,254 marines their characterization of 276 00:10:37,254 --> 00:10:39,790 service ? So I'll give you my my 277 00:10:39,790 --> 00:10:41,568 understanding , my personal and 278 00:10:41,568 --> 00:10:43,457 professional understanding of the 279 00:10:43,457 --> 00:10:45,568 likely characterizations of discharge 280 00:10:45,568 --> 00:10:47,790 you would receive if you elected not to 281 00:10:47,790 --> 00:10:50,012 get the vaccine and were processed from 282 00:10:50,012 --> 00:10:52,234 the Marine Corps , you'll either get an 283 00:10:52,234 --> 00:10:54,910 honorable uh discharge which is what 284 00:10:54,910 --> 00:10:57,030 we're talking about here or a general 285 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,207 discharge under honorable conditions . 286 00:10:59,207 --> 00:11:01,930 So there's no talk of you getting an O . 287 00:11:01,930 --> 00:11:03,763 T . H . And other than honorable 288 00:11:03,763 --> 00:11:05,652 discharge unless the rest of your 289 00:11:05,652 --> 00:11:07,708 service merits that so if you've had 290 00:11:07,708 --> 00:11:09,819 honorable service you're going to get 291 00:11:09,819 --> 00:11:11,930 one or one or two of those discharges 292 00:11:11,930 --> 00:11:14,097 the language that you're talking about 293 00:11:14,097 --> 00:11:15,986 in the proposed N . D . A . Would 294 00:11:15,986 --> 00:11:17,930 mandate an honorable discharge but 295 00:11:17,930 --> 00:11:20,460 that's not law at this time . So a 296 00:11:20,460 --> 00:11:22,490 prudent professional will will plan 297 00:11:22,490 --> 00:11:24,601 based on what the precise language of 298 00:11:24,601 --> 00:11:26,601 the current order is and there's no 299 00:11:26,601 --> 00:11:28,712 guarantee whether you would receive a 300 00:11:28,712 --> 00:11:30,601 general discharge under honorable 301 00:11:30,601 --> 00:11:32,768 conditions or an honorable discharge . 302 00:11:33,740 --> 00:11:35,750 Dovetailing on that saying thought 303 00:11:35,750 --> 00:11:38,960 process potentially could have 304 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,290 Exemption to previous infection of 305 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:45,240 COVID-19 with anti bodies or 306 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,000 serological testing that would align it 307 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,910 with you . So would you support 308 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:53,710 exemptions Sense of exemption 309 00:11:53,710 --> 00:11:57,690 authority resigned your support at 310 00:11:57,690 --> 00:12:00,020 this time . The more admin that applies 311 00:12:00,030 --> 00:12:02,030 specifically calls out that the 312 00:12:02,030 --> 00:12:04,630 antibodies exception does not apply in 313 00:12:04,630 --> 00:12:05,630 this instance . 314 00:12:10,540 --> 00:12:12,630 This is from the 4th f . l.g . I 315 00:12:12,630 --> 00:12:14,720 received an early shipment bonus of 316 00:12:14,730 --> 00:12:17,550 $3,000 before tax . Would that have to 317 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:21,020 be paid back ? Okay so so bonuses this 318 00:12:21,020 --> 00:12:24,090 is another common question . Think of 319 00:12:24,090 --> 00:12:26,368 it this way if you're obligated marine , 320 00:12:26,930 --> 00:12:30,560 if you're an obligated marine and you 321 00:12:30,940 --> 00:12:32,996 elect not to get meaning , you're on 322 00:12:32,996 --> 00:12:35,107 your first contract and you elect not 323 00:12:35,107 --> 00:12:37,051 to take the vaccine . And remember 324 00:12:37,051 --> 00:12:39,273 you're going to be involuntarily placed 325 00:12:39,273 --> 00:12:41,384 in the IR and separated and any bonus 326 00:12:41,384 --> 00:12:43,607 you received is going to be recovered . 327 00:12:43,607 --> 00:12:45,607 Kind of pro rated for the amount of 328 00:12:45,607 --> 00:12:47,718 time . So if you if you've done three 329 00:12:47,718 --> 00:12:49,884 years of a six year contract you could 330 00:12:49,884 --> 00:12:52,051 expect to have to pay back 50% of your 331 00:12:52,051 --> 00:12:54,162 bonus and that applies kind of across 332 00:12:54,162 --> 00:12:56,273 the board for obligated marines . Non 333 00:12:56,273 --> 00:12:58,384 obligated marines . Marines have been 334 00:12:58,384 --> 00:13:00,329 incentivized if you've received an 335 00:13:00,329 --> 00:13:02,496 incentive to sign , let's say you're a 336 00:13:02,496 --> 00:13:04,607 pilot or something else for a certain 337 00:13:04,607 --> 00:13:06,829 amount of time and you've only executed 338 00:13:06,829 --> 00:13:08,996 a percentage of that time . You should 339 00:13:08,996 --> 00:13:11,218 expect to have to pay back whatever the 340 00:13:11,218 --> 00:13:13,218 balance of that would be . It's pro 341 00:13:13,218 --> 00:13:16,360 rated . This is another 4th questions 342 00:13:16,740 --> 00:13:19,010 do have a play in the decision for 343 00:13:19,010 --> 00:13:22,960 exemptions . Well , yeah , no , 344 00:13:23,740 --> 00:13:25,851 No for a number of reasons . But just 345 00:13:25,851 --> 00:13:27,962 to keep it very simple by law , as we 346 00:13:27,962 --> 00:13:30,018 talked about last week . By law , we 347 00:13:30,018 --> 00:13:32,018 are the nation's 911 force . We are 348 00:13:32,018 --> 00:13:33,830 designed to be a moment notice 349 00:13:33,830 --> 00:13:37,150 deployment uh in response to crisis . 350 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:39,940 So as an expeditionary force , the way 351 00:13:39,940 --> 00:13:41,996 it works , I'm sure some of you have 352 00:13:41,996 --> 00:13:44,051 been mobilized in the past have been 353 00:13:44,051 --> 00:13:46,273 deployed for contingencies every time I 354 00:13:46,273 --> 00:13:48,384 have . This hasn't been a single unit 355 00:13:48,384 --> 00:13:50,496 that I've been a part of whether it's 356 00:13:50,496 --> 00:13:52,662 on active duty or in the reserves that 357 00:13:52,662 --> 00:13:54,662 gets alerted to go and respond to a 358 00:13:54,662 --> 00:13:56,884 contingency . That is what we call 100% 359 00:13:56,884 --> 00:13:58,996 T . O . It has all of the marines and 360 00:13:58,996 --> 00:14:01,218 sailors that it's a lot under the table 361 00:14:01,218 --> 00:14:03,162 of organization . So once you were 362 00:14:03,162 --> 00:14:05,384 identified for deploying typically what 363 00:14:05,384 --> 00:14:07,607 happens is All of these marines come in 364 00:14:07,607 --> 00:14:09,662 from around the Marine Corps to plus 365 00:14:09,662 --> 00:14:12,660 you up to be 100% or close to table of 366 00:14:12,660 --> 00:14:15,220 organization . So there are no non 367 00:14:15,220 --> 00:14:17,498 deployable billets in the Marine Corps . 368 00:14:17,498 --> 00:14:19,664 There's where you work right now . You 369 00:14:19,664 --> 00:14:21,942 might not be deployed from that Philip . 370 00:14:21,942 --> 00:14:21,170 But there's a very good chance in the 371 00:14:21,170 --> 00:14:23,520 time of crisis you'd be pulled into a 372 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,631 deploying unit . And so the answer to 373 00:14:25,631 --> 00:14:28,240 that question is now , This one comes 374 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,830 from the 4th marine . What is the core 375 00:14:30,830 --> 00:14:32,880 doing to help names who have become 376 00:14:32,890 --> 00:14:34,834 hospitalized after receiving their 377 00:14:34,834 --> 00:14:36,960 vaccines after being on the line of 378 00:14:36,970 --> 00:14:39,670 duty for injury myself . I know 379 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,847 firsthand process that getting marines 380 00:14:41,847 --> 00:14:44,380 enrolled into a lot of them . The care 381 00:14:44,380 --> 00:14:47,430 they could be difficult processes , so 382 00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:49,374 lengthy and arduous . Most reserve 383 00:14:49,374 --> 00:14:51,319 Marie's just use their own medical 384 00:14:51,319 --> 00:14:53,640 provider . This is not answer and we 385 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,862 should look into taking care of marines 386 00:14:55,862 --> 00:14:58,800 and processes . Yeah , I agree with you . 387 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,170 I mean look again , you know , I have 388 00:15:01,180 --> 00:15:03,360 walked in your boots . I've been that 389 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,193 drilling reservist . I have been 390 00:15:05,193 --> 00:15:07,750 exasperated by being unable to get 391 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,770 travel . Came claims paid . I've spent 392 00:15:10,770 --> 00:15:13,420 way a ton of uncompensated personal 393 00:15:13,420 --> 00:15:16,020 time in my leadership billets . I have 394 00:15:16,020 --> 00:15:18,260 done spend my own money to make targets 395 00:15:18,260 --> 00:15:20,371 and everything else . So I understand 396 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,320 it's frustrating . It's exceptionally 397 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,360 frustrating this life . It's tough . Um 398 00:15:26,370 --> 00:15:28,580 in this case if you have a marine 399 00:15:28,580 --> 00:15:30,730 that's gotten ill from receiving a 400 00:15:30,730 --> 00:15:33,730 vaccine . It's a mandated vaccine . So 401 00:15:33,730 --> 00:15:35,952 the presumption is that you would be in 402 00:15:35,952 --> 00:15:38,140 the line of duty . And even if you're 403 00:15:38,140 --> 00:15:40,307 not , if you do not have the paperwork 404 00:15:40,307 --> 00:15:42,529 at the time , like the actual orders to 405 00:15:42,529 --> 00:15:44,584 place you in the line of duty , then 406 00:15:44,584 --> 00:15:46,640 then uh that paperwork would be done 407 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,751 and you will be brought into the line 408 00:15:48,751 --> 00:15:50,973 of duty . So administratively you would 409 00:15:50,973 --> 00:15:53,084 be covered and your expenses would be 410 00:15:53,084 --> 00:15:55,370 covered . Dr that would be the same . 411 00:15:55,380 --> 00:15:57,436 What you just described for somebody 412 00:15:57,436 --> 00:15:59,547 that maybe felt something a few hours 413 00:15:59,547 --> 00:16:01,213 after the vaccine two weeks . 414 00:16:01,213 --> 00:16:03,324 Absolutely . I mean , the bottom line 415 00:16:03,324 --> 00:16:05,269 is if if if the connection is made 416 00:16:05,269 --> 00:16:07,380 medically that you have become ill or 417 00:16:07,380 --> 00:16:09,436 compromised because of the vaccine , 418 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:11,951 you're in the line of duty and you're 419 00:16:11,951 --> 00:16:14,007 entitled to be compensated and taken 420 00:16:14,007 --> 00:16:16,284 care of . The question comes from four . 421 00:16:16,940 --> 00:16:19,940 If someone is And they are within 180 422 00:16:19,950 --> 00:16:22,190 days of their s why should they get the 423 00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:24,134 vaccine ? They have asked not to , 424 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,440 they're not deployable nor the even 425 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,551 keep before we mentioned , would they 426 00:16:28,551 --> 00:16:32,160 do out an exemption ? So I think what 427 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:33,993 you're asking about is a blanket 428 00:16:33,993 --> 00:16:36,049 exemption meaning you're out , there 429 00:16:36,049 --> 00:16:38,216 you're 180 days out and your pending a 430 00:16:38,216 --> 00:16:40,049 med board , there are no blanket 431 00:16:40,049 --> 00:16:42,290 exemptions . However , there's a 432 00:16:42,290 --> 00:16:44,600 medical exemption and you could apply 433 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,656 under the medical exemption with the 434 00:16:46,656 --> 00:16:49,050 same facts that you just related in 435 00:16:49,050 --> 00:16:51,330 this question . And there's a chance at 436 00:16:51,330 --> 00:16:53,790 that time that because other vaccines 437 00:16:53,790 --> 00:16:55,512 have been in the same types of 438 00:16:55,512 --> 00:16:58,120 scenarios . In my experience marines 439 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,287 and sailors have been been allowed not 440 00:17:00,287 --> 00:17:02,231 to be vaccinated in these types of 441 00:17:02,231 --> 00:17:04,176 situations . You can't promise you 442 00:17:04,176 --> 00:17:06,342 every board is unique but that there's 443 00:17:06,342 --> 00:17:08,287 no blanket exception . But you can 444 00:17:08,287 --> 00:17:10,560 apply for medical exemption . Let's see 445 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,270 Theme also from 4th maw . Can you 446 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,151 outstanding court case of the harmful 447 00:17:17,151 --> 00:17:19,207 effects the vaccine is causing . Two 448 00:17:19,207 --> 00:17:21,262 marines and peak health specifically 449 00:17:21,262 --> 00:17:23,096 aviators . Some of us know these 450 00:17:23,096 --> 00:17:24,984 marines and their health problems 451 00:17:24,984 --> 00:17:27,040 personally . And this is kind of the 452 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,318 article submitted with Myocardial itis . 453 00:17:29,540 --> 00:17:32,600 Yeah . Myocarditis . Yeah . So look in 454 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,433 my other life , I'm a recovering 455 00:17:34,433 --> 00:17:36,890 attorney . So I'm very leery too to 456 00:17:36,890 --> 00:17:39,057 comment on case law . That's certainly 457 00:17:39,057 --> 00:17:41,279 not my position right now as an officer 458 00:17:41,279 --> 00:17:43,540 of marines . But uh , I mean in general 459 00:17:43,550 --> 00:17:45,772 in this case , you know , myocarditis . 460 00:17:45,772 --> 00:17:48,060 When this question came in , uh I went 461 00:17:48,070 --> 00:17:50,140 to the fourth surgeon , double board 462 00:17:50,140 --> 00:17:53,940 certified surgeon . Uh and uh 463 00:17:53,950 --> 00:17:56,590 and the facts are that while there may 464 00:17:56,590 --> 00:18:00,360 be some instances of the vaccine that 465 00:18:00,370 --> 00:18:03,360 is linked to myocarditis , you're much 466 00:18:03,370 --> 00:18:06,200 more likely to get myocarditis as a 467 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,050 result of having covid . So you know , 468 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:11,529 we have to all be careful because 469 00:18:11,529 --> 00:18:13,696 there's such a very difficult decision 470 00:18:13,696 --> 00:18:15,918 for some people . And and the facts and 471 00:18:15,918 --> 00:18:17,918 information that come before us . I 472 00:18:17,918 --> 00:18:20,084 would say information , not facts that 473 00:18:20,084 --> 00:18:22,084 we are bombarded with every day . I 474 00:18:22,084 --> 00:18:24,196 would say do your homework . I try to 475 00:18:24,196 --> 00:18:26,362 maintain a very objective mind . And I 476 00:18:26,362 --> 00:18:28,362 asked subject matter experts and in 477 00:18:28,362 --> 00:18:30,473 this particular case when it comes to 478 00:18:30,473 --> 00:18:32,473 myocarditis . I was surprised , Not 479 00:18:32,473 --> 00:18:34,710 surprised . But I was concerned that 480 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:37,490 some of our top warriors are pilots 481 00:18:37,500 --> 00:18:39,640 might believe that the risk at this 482 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,807 time the data would show that the risk 483 00:18:41,807 --> 00:18:43,862 is higher from the vaccine than from 484 00:18:43,862 --> 00:18:45,529 covid itself . And my current 485 00:18:45,529 --> 00:18:47,418 understanding is that the risk is 486 00:18:47,418 --> 00:18:50,830 actually higher from Covid . You're 487 00:18:50,830 --> 00:18:53,660 kind of moving over to medical to 488 00:18:53,660 --> 00:18:55,920 religious accommodations . One marine 489 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:57,920 from the 4th Marine Division wanted 490 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,976 their when reservists needed to have 491 00:18:59,976 --> 00:19:02,142 their medical religious accommodations 492 00:19:02,142 --> 00:19:04,570 requested . Okay , the deadline for the 493 00:19:04,570 --> 00:19:06,681 religious accommodation request is 24 494 00:19:06,681 --> 00:19:08,940 November . Then follow up on that 495 00:19:08,940 --> 00:19:12,480 question . This person from the fourth 496 00:19:12,490 --> 00:19:14,490 M . L . G . Believe that a chaplain 497 00:19:14,490 --> 00:19:18,210 actually endorses exemption as it goes 498 00:19:18,210 --> 00:19:20,377 up . But his question is why would the 499 00:19:20,377 --> 00:19:23,880 general court martial authorities not 500 00:19:23,890 --> 00:19:26,230 to religious exemptions endorsed by a 501 00:19:26,230 --> 00:19:29,090 chap ? Okay , so uh it might be helpful 502 00:19:29,090 --> 00:19:31,630 if I kind of explain how the process 503 00:19:31,630 --> 00:19:33,830 actually works . So if you're placing 504 00:19:33,830 --> 00:19:35,886 if you're putting in for a religious 505 00:19:35,886 --> 00:19:37,830 exemption , you get interviewed by 506 00:19:37,830 --> 00:19:41,030 Chaplin and that chaplain's role by the 507 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,980 order is to simply assess your 508 00:19:43,980 --> 00:19:46,950 sincerity not to provide an opinion , 509 00:19:46,950 --> 00:19:50,320 not to endorse it , but simply to uh 510 00:19:50,330 --> 00:19:52,497 for lack of better word to assess your 511 00:19:52,497 --> 00:19:54,608 sincerity . And that's the comment in 512 00:19:54,608 --> 00:19:56,497 my assessment is that this marine 513 00:19:56,497 --> 00:19:58,608 believes this . It's sincere and then 514 00:19:58,608 --> 00:20:00,790 it goes up to it goes past the general 515 00:20:00,790 --> 00:20:03,012 court martial convening authority which 516 00:20:03,012 --> 00:20:03,010 for those of you that don't know is 517 00:20:03,010 --> 00:20:05,390 typically the first general officer in 518 00:20:05,390 --> 00:20:07,446 your chain of command . If you're at 519 00:20:07,446 --> 00:20:09,668 the wing , it's the it's the commanding 520 00:20:09,668 --> 00:20:11,668 general of the wing division . Same 521 00:20:11,668 --> 00:20:13,834 thing . It goes up to the headquarters 522 00:20:13,834 --> 00:20:15,890 Marine corps to a level known as the 523 00:20:15,890 --> 00:20:18,001 deputy commandants . There is a level 524 00:20:18,001 --> 00:20:19,890 just below the commandant and the 525 00:20:19,890 --> 00:20:22,057 assistant commandant called the deputy 526 00:20:22,057 --> 00:20:23,779 commandants . There's a deputy 527 00:20:23,779 --> 00:20:25,723 commandant who is the adjudication 528 00:20:25,723 --> 00:20:27,834 authority for these . And the process 529 00:20:27,834 --> 00:20:29,779 that goes through there is he gets 530 00:20:29,779 --> 00:20:31,890 reviewed by another chaplain and then 531 00:20:31,890 --> 00:20:31,690 it goes in front of a board and that's 532 00:20:31,690 --> 00:20:33,746 the adjudicator . That's how the the 533 00:20:33,746 --> 00:20:35,968 religious exemptions were adjudicated . 534 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,407 You know , just looking at some of the 535 00:20:40,407 --> 00:20:40,360 questions , 536 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,060 one that we kind of see popping up is 537 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,670 both from inside rez but also maybe 538 00:20:53,340 --> 00:20:56,170 this is the this order could still 539 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,950 awful . And so is there a reason ? 540 00:21:00,340 --> 00:21:03,430 Yeah . So again marines , I'm giving 541 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:05,263 you my personal and professional 542 00:21:05,263 --> 00:21:07,208 opinion here and I understand that 543 00:21:07,208 --> 00:21:09,319 whenever you get these highly charged 544 00:21:09,319 --> 00:21:11,486 issues , you know , and think back for 545 00:21:11,486 --> 00:21:13,652 those of you that deployed whether its 546 00:21:13,652 --> 00:21:13,500 rules of engagement . Last week , I 547 00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:15,667 talked about the rules of engagement , 548 00:21:15,667 --> 00:21:17,444 escalation of forest measures , 549 00:21:17,444 --> 00:21:19,611 positive identification requirements , 550 00:21:19,611 --> 00:21:21,778 all the complexities that we deal with 551 00:21:21,778 --> 00:21:23,778 when we are operational . Those are 552 00:21:23,778 --> 00:21:25,778 hard to deal with . Especially when 553 00:21:25,778 --> 00:21:27,944 your fellow marines , they're paying a 554 00:21:27,944 --> 00:21:30,200 steep price because of them in words 555 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,367 like unlawful order or thrown around . 556 00:21:32,540 --> 00:21:34,596 I'm trying to think right now as I'm 557 00:21:34,596 --> 00:21:36,707 sitting here answer this question , I 558 00:21:36,707 --> 00:21:38,873 don't know and I'm in my fourth decade 559 00:21:38,873 --> 00:21:40,873 of service . I don't know that I've 560 00:21:40,873 --> 00:21:42,984 ever , I can't think of a single time 561 00:21:42,984 --> 00:21:45,096 when an order was actually determined 562 00:21:45,096 --> 00:21:47,318 to be unlawful in my personal service . 563 00:21:47,318 --> 00:21:49,540 So it doesn't mean that I didn't get an 564 00:21:49,540 --> 00:21:51,707 unlawful order here or there someplace 565 00:21:51,707 --> 00:21:53,651 that uh , probably in the moment I 566 00:21:53,651 --> 00:21:55,762 confronted and was corrected . But if 567 00:21:55,762 --> 00:21:57,429 you're planning on this being 568 00:21:57,429 --> 00:21:59,880 adjudicated as an unlawful order , I 569 00:21:59,890 --> 00:22:02,057 don't see that happen . I'll go over . 570 00:22:02,057 --> 00:22:04,168 I want to go over a couple of numbers 571 00:22:04,168 --> 00:22:06,279 while we're waiting for the team here 572 00:22:06,279 --> 00:22:08,390 to process some , some questions . So 573 00:22:08,390 --> 00:22:10,557 last week I talked about the facts and 574 00:22:10,557 --> 00:22:13,410 the data . Uh , so here's where MFR 575 00:22:13,420 --> 00:22:16,020 Marco Torres is right now . As of today , 576 00:22:16,020 --> 00:22:18,960 72% of the forces vaccinated . 577 00:22:20,030 --> 00:22:22,197 That's climbed up a little bit . Since 578 00:22:22,197 --> 00:22:25,960 last week , Only 25% of the 579 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,060 force has actually refused the vaccine . 580 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:31,410 So there's a lot of , a lot of 581 00:22:31,410 --> 00:22:33,632 information turning around out there as 582 00:22:33,632 --> 00:22:35,743 if there's going to be a massive wave 583 00:22:35,743 --> 00:22:37,743 of marines were going to reject The 584 00:22:37,743 --> 00:22:41,160 vaccine . So 2.5 right now have have 585 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,327 rejected the vaccine and made it clear 586 00:22:43,327 --> 00:22:45,549 they're not going to take the vaccine . 587 00:22:45,549 --> 00:22:47,700 The other 25% are undeclared or 588 00:22:47,700 --> 00:22:49,950 undecided And and that's who we're 589 00:22:49,950 --> 00:22:51,894 really talking to tonight . I mean 590 00:22:51,894 --> 00:22:54,117 obviously if you tuned in here , you're 591 00:22:54,117 --> 00:22:56,228 you're probably in that 25% or you're 592 00:22:56,228 --> 00:22:58,283 trying to figure out the best way to 593 00:22:58,283 --> 00:23:00,506 lead your marines who are in that 25% . 594 00:23:00,506 --> 00:23:02,810 So what I explained last week and what 595 00:23:02,810 --> 00:23:05,032 I'll offer here tonight is it's been my 596 00:23:05,032 --> 00:23:08,340 experience as a reservist that at the 597 00:23:08,350 --> 00:23:10,461 end of the day we end up looking very 598 00:23:10,461 --> 00:23:12,683 much like the active duty and by that , 599 00:23:12,683 --> 00:23:15,630 I mean we may go to make it activated 600 00:23:15,630 --> 00:23:17,797 and go to our internal location and we 601 00:23:17,797 --> 00:23:19,908 may not be on par with an active duty 602 00:23:19,908 --> 00:23:22,241 squadron or battalion or whatever it is , 603 00:23:22,241 --> 00:23:24,408 but very quickly before we deploy , we 604 00:23:24,408 --> 00:23:26,186 get up on par pretty well . And 605 00:23:26,186 --> 00:23:27,908 certainly when we're out there 606 00:23:27,908 --> 00:23:30,130 operating at least it was my experience 607 00:23:30,130 --> 00:23:32,241 in Iraq and Afghanistan by the end of 608 00:23:32,241 --> 00:23:34,352 that deployment were , you know , all 609 00:23:34,352 --> 00:23:36,352 the real variables apply quality of 610 00:23:36,352 --> 00:23:38,463 leadership , quality of the N . C . O 611 00:23:38,463 --> 00:23:40,686 corps , the value of the training ahead 612 00:23:40,686 --> 00:23:42,686 of time . Those are the things that 613 00:23:42,686 --> 00:23:44,630 determine the efficacy and the the 614 00:23:44,630 --> 00:23:47,330 competence of a unit . So in this case 615 00:23:47,690 --> 00:23:50,870 I look at the numbers of one method to 616 00:23:50,870 --> 00:23:53,420 meth and three meth and all three of 617 00:23:53,420 --> 00:23:55,730 those maths kind of our pacing partner 618 00:23:55,740 --> 00:23:58,890 as MfR are in the mid nineties for 619 00:23:58,890 --> 00:24:02,770 vaccinated marines , 95th 96 percentile . 620 00:24:03,340 --> 00:24:05,690 So it's my assessment that just based 621 00:24:05,690 --> 00:24:07,746 on my personal experience that we're 622 00:24:07,746 --> 00:24:09,912 going to end up in the same place . So 623 00:24:09,912 --> 00:24:13,400 we're sitting at a 2.5% rejection rate 624 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,930 right now . We're closing on our first 625 00:24:15,930 --> 00:24:17,874 gate , say November 17 , if you're 626 00:24:17,874 --> 00:24:19,960 gonna take the modern a series . My 627 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,550 guess is that that number 2.5 is going 628 00:24:22,550 --> 00:24:24,717 to go up . But at the end of the day , 629 00:24:24,717 --> 00:24:26,939 it's probably gonna be relatively close 630 00:24:26,939 --> 00:24:29,106 to what the other myths are because at 631 00:24:29,106 --> 00:24:28,910 the end of the day of marines of marine 632 00:24:28,910 --> 00:24:31,310 to marine and there was a lot of 633 00:24:31,310 --> 00:24:34,050 cynical comments out there about both 634 00:24:34,050 --> 00:24:36,760 reservists and active duty . But from 635 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:38,593 my personal experience that just 636 00:24:38,593 --> 00:24:40,760 doesn't turn out to be true . You know 637 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:42,982 the answer that call the service , they 638 00:24:42,982 --> 00:24:42,640 go through the same training , they 639 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,584 have the same values and they make 640 00:24:44,584 --> 00:24:48,020 similar decisions general we have a 641 00:24:48,030 --> 00:24:51,240 question fourth mar it might be one 642 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,040 that we have . Research Question is 643 00:24:55,050 --> 00:24:57,480 has mark for Rez Mar four South 644 00:24:57,490 --> 00:25:01,160 established a watch request to hold 645 00:25:01,540 --> 00:25:04,800 quote media as defined in the Under 646 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,220 secretary believe there is an abundance 647 00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:11,760 of confusion . What constitutes . Mm 648 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:13,670 This is Uh huh . 649 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,630 Yes . You mean the exception that goes 650 00:25:19,630 --> 00:25:23,460 to the secretary conference . Anything 651 00:25:23,470 --> 00:25:27,170 other than Okay , 50 50 It's 50 . Yeah . 652 00:25:27,540 --> 00:25:30,300 Okay . So if I understand the question 653 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:33,010 correctly , so the Secretary of the 654 00:25:33,010 --> 00:25:36,320 Navy has has and this is basically what 655 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,820 happened with the balls has issued a 656 00:25:38,820 --> 00:25:42,620 prohibition against any meetings or 657 00:25:42,620 --> 00:25:45,730 conferences . They have 50 service 658 00:25:45,730 --> 00:25:47,840 members or more without getting a 659 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,062 waiver from the Secretary of the Navy . 660 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:53,940 That's that's the current uh that's the 661 00:25:53,940 --> 00:25:56,107 current order as I understand it . And 662 00:25:56,107 --> 00:25:57,884 of course that's when you start 663 00:25:57,884 --> 00:25:59,940 thinking about balls , you know , uh 664 00:25:59,940 --> 00:26:02,260 that's what causes us to cancel balls , 665 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,970 the way the reserve force is able to 666 00:26:05,970 --> 00:26:08,370 still have balls is that if we , we 667 00:26:08,370 --> 00:26:10,740 determined was , and we understand how 668 00:26:10,740 --> 00:26:12,851 important the balls are to you and to 669 00:26:12,851 --> 00:26:15,018 your marines and your sailors and your 670 00:26:15,018 --> 00:26:16,962 families . So we looked at the law 671 00:26:16,962 --> 00:26:19,350 carefully and what we determined was if 672 00:26:19,350 --> 00:26:21,850 it was not an official event meaning we 673 00:26:21,850 --> 00:26:24,270 weren't paying drills to attend the 674 00:26:24,270 --> 00:26:26,930 balls and we weren't mandating it . 675 00:26:26,930 --> 00:26:29,560 Those are the two big hurdles . Then we 676 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,727 were probably outside the authority of 677 00:26:31,727 --> 00:26:33,671 that order and marines could still 678 00:26:33,671 --> 00:26:35,838 celebrate the birthday . And so that's 679 00:26:35,838 --> 00:26:38,171 how balls are being conducted this year . 680 00:26:38,171 --> 00:26:40,060 But as far as actual training and 681 00:26:40,060 --> 00:26:42,282 venues where we're compensating you for 682 00:26:42,282 --> 00:26:44,870 your time . Uh , and we're mandating 683 00:26:44,870 --> 00:26:47,370 that people at 1050 is the limited has 684 00:26:47,370 --> 00:26:50,560 to go to the secretary of the Navy and 685 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:52,727 I look over filling a friend here real 686 00:26:52,727 --> 00:26:54,727 quick . My Alison , my answer , his 687 00:26:54,727 --> 00:26:56,727 question is , there is confusion on 688 00:26:56,727 --> 00:27:00,660 what his versus versus a conference I 689 00:27:00,670 --> 00:27:03,860 will take . Okay . Okay . So okay , 690 00:27:03,870 --> 00:27:05,870 tracking . So hopefully when I just 691 00:27:05,870 --> 00:27:07,814 that long answer that maybe didn't 692 00:27:07,814 --> 00:27:10,148 apply , there's still some value to you , 693 00:27:10,148 --> 00:27:12,092 but we'll get back and look at the 694 00:27:12,092 --> 00:27:14,314 actual language and help you define and 695 00:27:14,314 --> 00:27:16,537 understand what , uh , what's your left 696 00:27:16,537 --> 00:27:16,270 and right letter one , which I think 697 00:27:16,270 --> 00:27:18,500 what you're asking , Okay . Somebody 698 00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:22,460 had dropped in our news FDA 699 00:27:22,470 --> 00:27:26,000 october 20 nine fact sheet about the 700 00:27:26,010 --> 00:27:28,620 Pfizer vaccine and they were claiming 701 00:27:28,630 --> 00:27:30,850 that it's different than the one that 702 00:27:30,940 --> 00:27:33,990 service members are . Yeah . Okay . So 703 00:27:33,990 --> 00:27:35,823 this is a , this is another good 704 00:27:35,823 --> 00:27:37,934 question . I took a stab at this uh , 705 00:27:37,934 --> 00:27:40,046 last week and I kind of meandered the 706 00:27:40,046 --> 00:27:41,934 contact on this . I think I was a 707 00:27:41,934 --> 00:27:44,157 little sloppy . So , so I went back and 708 00:27:44,157 --> 00:27:46,323 uh and went back to the subject matter 709 00:27:46,323 --> 00:27:48,434 experts And this is what I understand 710 00:27:48,434 --> 00:27:52,260 right now . So fighter and co minority 711 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,390 are essentially the same drug . The 712 00:27:56,390 --> 00:27:58,940 difference here in the fact sheet from 713 00:27:58,940 --> 00:28:01,060 it came out in October 29 . Was that 714 00:28:01,540 --> 00:28:05,520 The the dosage difference ? So for 715 00:28:05,530 --> 00:28:08,640 for folks that are 18 and younger , the 716 00:28:08,650 --> 00:28:12,150 dosage profile for that person is 717 00:28:12,150 --> 00:28:15,160 different for those that are 18 or over . 718 00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:17,940 And so that's the difference in the 719 00:28:17,940 --> 00:28:20,210 fact sheet as I understand it . Okay , 720 00:28:20,220 --> 00:28:22,387 so when from rains , I mean everyone's 721 00:28:22,387 --> 00:28:24,387 18 or over that's going to get this 722 00:28:24,387 --> 00:28:26,498 vaccine . So my current understanding 723 00:28:26,498 --> 00:28:28,387 is they're exactly the same . I'm 724 00:28:28,387 --> 00:28:30,387 looking over at my fourth surgeon . 725 00:28:30,387 --> 00:28:32,553 He's giving me the North South . Yes , 726 00:28:32,553 --> 00:28:34,831 that's . that's the understanding . So , 727 00:28:34,831 --> 00:28:36,998 so if if you're and I understand , you 728 00:28:36,998 --> 00:28:39,109 know , everyone is turning over every 729 00:28:39,109 --> 00:28:38,900 rock and they're looking for every 730 00:28:38,900 --> 00:28:41,720 potential vulnerability here or or way 731 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,520 around this difficult decision . But if 732 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,464 that is the reasoning , my current 733 00:28:46,464 --> 00:28:48,687 understanding is that factually it will 734 00:28:48,687 --> 00:28:51,320 not apply because of that very thing . 735 00:28:51,350 --> 00:28:53,461 If you're 18 or over , you're getting 736 00:28:53,461 --> 00:28:55,572 the exact same shot because the doses 737 00:28:55,572 --> 00:28:59,440 are the same . No , this is 738 00:28:59,470 --> 00:29:02,680 sergeant was asking recently . I spoke 739 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,902 with a qualified marine for retention . 740 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,630 His only disqualifying factor was he 741 00:29:07,630 --> 00:29:09,880 refused vaccination ? Should 742 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,047 vaccination be a part of the screening 743 00:29:12,047 --> 00:29:14,270 process for marines to come back in or 744 00:29:14,270 --> 00:29:16,430 can we look at taking it out as a 745 00:29:16,430 --> 00:29:18,708 requirement for a continuation service ? 746 00:29:18,708 --> 00:29:21,060 Get them back in and then try convince 747 00:29:21,060 --> 00:29:23,080 them to take the vaccine . Now the 748 00:29:23,090 --> 00:29:26,200 current policy is especially for a 749 00:29:26,210 --> 00:29:28,210 second term marines or marines were 750 00:29:28,210 --> 00:29:30,321 coming off that duty or coming out of 751 00:29:30,321 --> 00:29:32,360 the I . R . You cannot enter the 752 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,416 operating forces without being fully 753 00:29:34,416 --> 00:29:36,082 vaccinated because you're not 754 00:29:36,082 --> 00:29:38,138 deployable in the eyes of the Marine 755 00:29:38,138 --> 00:29:40,970 Corps . Fair question Staff Sergeant . 756 00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:43,091 That's the reality . I'm looking over 757 00:29:43,091 --> 00:29:45,500 here . Okay get the north south again . 758 00:29:45,510 --> 00:29:47,560 Okay , very likely to be the same . 759 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,480 Yeah . So start major reason side . I 760 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,702 think that is the fact . Now you cannot 761 00:29:54,702 --> 00:29:56,758 go to P . M . E . So one of the ways 762 00:29:56,758 --> 00:29:59,180 that marines in the I . R . R . Get 763 00:29:59,180 --> 00:30:01,510 good years as they will go to resident 764 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,800 P . M . E . That is not an option in 765 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,967 this case . So even if you voluntarily 766 00:30:05,967 --> 00:30:08,510 you qualify for voluntarily dropping to 767 00:30:08,510 --> 00:30:12,000 the I . R . R . You cannot do funeral 768 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,167 honors . You cannot do the resident PM 769 00:30:14,167 --> 00:30:16,278 me . You'll have to get your Goodyear 770 00:30:16,278 --> 00:30:18,222 through non resident P . M . E . I 771 00:30:18,222 --> 00:30:20,333 don't know that there's any other way 772 00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:22,333 to get points for a good year . I'm 773 00:30:22,333 --> 00:30:24,500 looking around . I don't think so . So 774 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:26,778 you're left with nonresident P . M . E . 775 00:30:26,778 --> 00:30:26,450 Or a language study or something like 776 00:30:26,450 --> 00:30:28,670 that . Sure 777 00:30:29,140 --> 00:30:32,750 regarding exemptions guidance was 778 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:34,980 pushed down . If our exemptions were 779 00:30:34,980 --> 00:30:37,350 approved we'd be placed in a non 780 00:30:37,350 --> 00:30:40,920 deployed E . Support style . So based 781 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:42,920 off of what you said now we are the 782 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,220 nation's 911 force . You just said that 783 00:30:46,230 --> 00:30:48,341 everyone is deployable ? My questions 784 00:30:48,341 --> 00:30:50,563 are one . Are you aware of the guidance 785 00:30:50,563 --> 00:30:53,000 of a non deployable status and two if 786 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:54,944 that guidance is true , how do you 787 00:30:54,944 --> 00:30:57,200 reconcile guidance and what you say as 788 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:01,190 well ? Instance . So so 789 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,478 let's remember that the two exceptions . 790 00:31:03,478 --> 00:31:05,478 We're talking about our medical and 791 00:31:05,478 --> 00:31:07,589 religious exemptions . Right . And so 792 00:31:07,589 --> 00:31:09,700 if there's a medical exception , just 793 00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:11,756 like any other medical assumption if 794 00:31:11,756 --> 00:31:13,533 you if you are deemed to be not 795 00:31:13,533 --> 00:31:15,700 physically qualified to deploy at that 796 00:31:15,700 --> 00:31:17,867 time but you are deemed to have future 797 00:31:17,867 --> 00:31:17,640 service meaning you're probably going 798 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:19,930 to recover , then you're going to be 799 00:31:19,930 --> 00:31:22,160 placed in a non deployable status in 800 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:24,271 the reserve component . We don't have 801 00:31:24,271 --> 00:31:27,500 any non deployable billets . Think of 802 00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:30,730 it this way if you are if you decide 803 00:31:30,730 --> 00:31:32,619 not to take the vaccine or if you 804 00:31:32,619 --> 00:31:35,260 receive a medical exemption for in the 805 00:31:35,260 --> 00:31:37,204 reserves , chances are very good . 806 00:31:37,204 --> 00:31:39,371 You're gonna be dropped to the I . R . 807 00:31:39,371 --> 00:31:41,149 R . And we're back in that same 808 00:31:41,149 --> 00:31:43,070 scenario if on the other hand you 809 00:31:43,070 --> 00:31:45,700 refuse the vaccine obviously then 810 00:31:45,700 --> 00:31:47,811 you're going to be non deployable and 811 00:31:47,811 --> 00:31:50,033 you're gonna be involuntarily placed in 812 00:31:50,033 --> 00:31:52,144 the Ir uh did I miss anything in that 813 00:31:52,144 --> 00:31:54,367 question ? I wanna make sure I hit it . 814 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:58,760 Looking around the room here . Okay . 815 00:31:59,740 --> 00:32:01,962 You won't read it to me one more time . 816 00:32:01,962 --> 00:32:04,184 I want to make sure the marine gets his 817 00:32:04,184 --> 00:32:03,560 question is I don't feel like answered . 818 00:32:03,570 --> 00:32:06,160 Well work a little bit here gives me 819 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:09,170 one more time , did you ? 820 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:12,462 So here's the other piece of this too . 821 00:32:12,462 --> 00:32:14,930 Is that you know , if if uh if you go 822 00:32:14,930 --> 00:32:17,041 through the ad set process , remember 823 00:32:17,041 --> 00:32:19,152 the earlier question we had about the 824 00:32:19,152 --> 00:32:21,319 market except manual and you ask for a 825 00:32:21,319 --> 00:32:23,541 board and you're retained , then you'll 826 00:32:23,541 --> 00:32:25,486 still be placed in the I . R . R . 827 00:32:25,486 --> 00:32:27,486 Because you're not deployable . You 828 00:32:27,486 --> 00:32:29,652 can't be in a unit of employment um in 829 00:32:29,652 --> 00:32:31,819 the in the reserve if you're not fully 830 00:32:31,819 --> 00:32:34,160 vaccinated . So so yeah , the questions 831 00:32:34,540 --> 00:32:36,490 it was Questions are one . Are you 832 00:32:36,490 --> 00:32:38,490 aware of the guidance that somebody 833 00:32:38,490 --> 00:32:41,460 could flyable status PM me school . 834 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,384 That guidance is true . How do you 835 00:32:44,384 --> 00:32:46,607 reconcile that with the fact that we're 836 00:32:46,607 --> 00:32:49,190 supposed to all was employed ? Yeah , 837 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,200 if you're in a P . M . E . School , 838 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:53,533 obviously you're not doing before . Yes , 839 00:32:53,533 --> 00:32:55,367 I'm aware of that guidance . You 840 00:32:55,367 --> 00:32:57,920 understand my intent here ? Yeah . Okay . 841 00:32:57,930 --> 00:33:00,770 All right . Thanks awesome . Listen , 842 00:33:02,540 --> 00:33:04,750 what exactly is happening to reserve 843 00:33:04,750 --> 00:33:07,570 and active ? I have some religious 844 00:33:07,570 --> 00:33:10,780 accommodation . Waiting receive their 845 00:33:10,780 --> 00:33:12,724 final status of their submission . 846 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:16,530 Master Sergeant was on annual training 847 00:33:16,540 --> 00:33:19,550 with said that About 3500 already 848 00:33:19,550 --> 00:33:21,860 submitted ? As of October just 849 00:33:21,860 --> 00:33:23,971 accommodations ? Only eight have been 850 00:33:23,971 --> 00:33:25,860 approved ? Is that an accurate 851 00:33:25,860 --> 00:33:27,890 statistic . And if so , what is the 852 00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:30,790 acting role the option of a religious 853 00:33:30,790 --> 00:33:33,910 accommodation number like that ? Yeah . 854 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,010 So to be straight with you , I asked 855 00:33:37,010 --> 00:33:39,177 this question before and I'm not aware 856 00:33:39,177 --> 00:33:41,066 of any religious accommodations . 857 00:33:41,066 --> 00:33:42,843 Haven't been granted within the 858 00:33:42,843 --> 00:33:45,066 Department of the Navy meaning the Navy 859 00:33:45,066 --> 00:33:47,232 or the Marine Corps in this instance , 860 00:33:47,540 --> 00:33:49,770 we grant religious accommodations all 861 00:33:49,770 --> 00:33:53,120 the time for things like diet , relaxed 862 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,060 grooming standards at times even 863 00:33:55,070 --> 00:33:58,360 recently , um for religious dress . 864 00:33:58,740 --> 00:34:00,950 Uh And the difference here , The 865 00:34:00,950 --> 00:34:02,950 difference here . First of all , in 866 00:34:02,950 --> 00:34:05,061 those three instances , for example , 867 00:34:05,061 --> 00:34:07,172 uh the marine is still deployable and 868 00:34:07,172 --> 00:34:09,339 american go fight . I mean , it's that 869 00:34:09,339 --> 00:34:11,930 simple if you if you get a religious 870 00:34:11,930 --> 00:34:14,152 exemption , if a religious exemption in 871 00:34:14,152 --> 00:34:16,208 this case was granted , the question 872 00:34:16,208 --> 00:34:17,930 would be , you know , are they 873 00:34:17,930 --> 00:34:20,041 deployable ? And I believe the answer 874 00:34:20,041 --> 00:34:22,041 is no . But more importantly , it's 875 00:34:22,041 --> 00:34:24,374 important to understand how the service , 876 00:34:24,374 --> 00:34:26,263 how the Department of the Navy is 877 00:34:26,263 --> 00:34:28,430 actually evaluating this critique . So 878 00:34:28,430 --> 00:34:31,090 there's two , there's two facets of 879 00:34:31,090 --> 00:34:33,423 this . The first gets back to sincerity . 880 00:34:33,423 --> 00:34:36,280 Is this an actual belief that's really 881 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,613 held by the service member in this case , 882 00:34:38,613 --> 00:34:40,836 the marine and it can be religious . It 883 00:34:40,836 --> 00:34:42,947 can be moral . It can be across three 884 00:34:42,947 --> 00:34:45,002 different grounds . But in this case 885 00:34:45,002 --> 00:34:46,947 we're talking religious . And then 886 00:34:46,947 --> 00:34:49,058 finally , is there an underpinning is 887 00:34:49,058 --> 00:34:51,360 there a compelling government interest 888 00:34:52,420 --> 00:34:55,170 that this violates . And so far the 889 00:34:55,170 --> 00:34:57,281 findings within the Department of the 890 00:34:57,281 --> 00:34:59,580 Navy As I understand it is the 891 00:34:59,590 --> 00:35:01,646 compelling government interests here 892 00:35:01,646 --> 00:35:03,770 outweighs the religious exemptions . 893 00:35:03,780 --> 00:35:05,810 You may be very sincere and I know 894 00:35:05,810 --> 00:35:07,699 there are lots of greens that are 895 00:35:07,699 --> 00:35:09,810 struggling with this from a religious 896 00:35:09,810 --> 00:35:11,866 perspective or a moral perspective . 897 00:35:11,866 --> 00:35:13,977 But at the end of the day , under the 898 00:35:13,977 --> 00:35:17,330 religious exemption review , the the 899 00:35:17,340 --> 00:35:20,230 the compelling government interest is 900 00:35:20,230 --> 00:35:21,897 trumping all of the religious 901 00:35:21,897 --> 00:35:24,230 exemptions to date . I'm looking over 902 00:35:24,230 --> 00:35:26,452 the chaps . Get that right , chaplain . 903 00:35:26,452 --> 00:35:29,740 She's Yes . Yeah . So , so there are at 904 00:35:29,740 --> 00:35:31,851 least restrictive means that also can 905 00:35:31,851 --> 00:35:34,070 be applied here . That at the end of 906 00:35:34,070 --> 00:35:36,126 the day , simply at the end of day , 907 00:35:36,126 --> 00:35:38,390 it's not being granted . Same marine 908 00:35:38,390 --> 00:35:40,670 had a second question . Yeah . Those 909 00:35:40,670 --> 00:35:42,892 marines like myself that have submitted 910 00:35:42,892 --> 00:35:45,250 a religious exemption , no negative 911 00:35:45,260 --> 00:35:48,380 paperwork . Good jape pass for that 912 00:35:48,380 --> 00:35:50,450 will play , Will that play a role in 913 00:35:50,450 --> 00:35:52,630 the type of discharge religious 914 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,130 exemption . Yeah . I mean , like if you 915 00:35:56,130 --> 00:35:58,130 go back to what we had talked about 916 00:35:58,130 --> 00:36:01,300 before , you know , if you have had 917 00:36:01,310 --> 00:36:03,890 honorable service , if you get 918 00:36:03,900 --> 00:36:07,250 honorable service , the lowest possible 919 00:36:08,230 --> 00:36:10,397 discharge you can get is general under 920 00:36:10,397 --> 00:36:12,341 honorable conditions . And you can 921 00:36:12,341 --> 00:36:14,350 absolutely receive an honorable 922 00:36:14,350 --> 00:36:17,440 discharge so far that is left to the 923 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,630 board process . It's your fellow 924 00:36:19,630 --> 00:36:21,463 marines determining based on the 925 00:36:21,463 --> 00:36:23,463 totality of your service . But each 926 00:36:23,463 --> 00:36:25,463 individual board is different . And 927 00:36:25,463 --> 00:36:27,463 those are the two options that they 928 00:36:27,463 --> 00:36:30,510 will have to choose from this kind of a 929 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,420 leadership question , why isn't the 930 00:36:33,430 --> 00:36:36,660 leadership or to do right by marines 931 00:36:37,430 --> 00:36:39,700 from not getting the shot ? Don't we 932 00:36:39,700 --> 00:36:42,370 take care of our own true we are taking 933 00:36:42,380 --> 00:36:44,590 care of our own . Why is Congress 934 00:36:44,590 --> 00:36:47,400 considering passing built to protect 935 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,350 the discharges of marines ? Yeah . So 936 00:36:50,350 --> 00:36:54,200 look , this is a question 937 00:36:54,210 --> 00:36:56,230 that you know , I think there's 938 00:36:56,230 --> 00:36:58,563 probably at whether you intended or not . 939 00:36:58,563 --> 00:37:00,786 You're certainly at least I'm inferring 940 00:37:00,786 --> 00:37:03,008 that that somehow and this is a kind of 941 00:37:03,008 --> 00:37:05,119 a common conversation right now . Why 942 00:37:05,119 --> 00:37:07,230 are all the senior marines abandoning 943 00:37:07,230 --> 00:37:07,020 the junior marines and why don't we 944 00:37:07,020 --> 00:37:09,430 care ? It's not the case . We received 945 00:37:09,430 --> 00:37:11,590 an order . We received an order from 946 00:37:11,590 --> 00:37:13,368 the Department of Defense , the 947 00:37:13,368 --> 00:37:15,146 secretary defense that has been 948 00:37:15,146 --> 00:37:17,146 seconded and placed with the actual 949 00:37:17,146 --> 00:37:19,423 deadlines by the secretary of the navy . 950 00:37:19,423 --> 00:37:21,670 The service has no options . We get 951 00:37:21,670 --> 00:37:24,350 orders . It's not on the service to 952 00:37:24,350 --> 00:37:27,120 challenge the legality of an order or 953 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:29,120 to try and undermanned the civilian 954 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:31,064 oversight that that is part of the 955 00:37:31,064 --> 00:37:33,231 constitution that we all take our oath 956 00:37:33,231 --> 00:37:35,910 to abide by . We get orders and the 957 00:37:35,910 --> 00:37:38,710 orders are that the vaccine is 958 00:37:38,710 --> 00:37:41,080 mandatory and the processing will ensue 959 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:43,191 for those service members who refused 960 00:37:43,191 --> 00:37:45,413 to take the vaccine . It has nothing to 961 00:37:45,413 --> 00:37:47,636 do with how much senior marines whether 962 00:37:47,636 --> 00:37:49,802 it's a staff sergeant to a corporal or 963 00:37:49,802 --> 00:37:52,300 a general to to a major . It has 964 00:37:52,300 --> 00:37:54,522 nothing to do with how much we love and 965 00:37:54,522 --> 00:37:56,578 respect you . It's just that this is 966 00:37:56,578 --> 00:37:58,744 our job . Those are the orders . These 967 00:37:58,744 --> 00:38:00,633 are our legal authorities and our 968 00:38:00,633 --> 00:38:02,840 obligations . It's that simple . Our 969 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,150 last question . If someone has caught 970 00:38:05,150 --> 00:38:07,180 Covid to my understanding the body 971 00:38:07,180 --> 00:38:09,380 makes a more potent immunity than the 972 00:38:09,380 --> 00:38:12,050 vaccine itself , why was this not made 973 00:38:12,060 --> 00:38:14,060 as an exemption for those that have 974 00:38:14,060 --> 00:38:16,227 caught cold this ? I think this is the 975 00:38:16,227 --> 00:38:18,930 antibodies question is , Yeah . So , so 976 00:38:18,930 --> 00:38:21,570 the mar admin specifically calls out 977 00:38:21,570 --> 00:38:23,626 that antibodies don't apply . So you 978 00:38:23,626 --> 00:38:25,848 know , I think it's too personal here . 979 00:38:25,848 --> 00:38:28,150 I had Covid and You know , I'm 56 years 980 00:38:28,150 --> 00:38:30,480 old and I can tell you for the first 981 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:32,780 time in my life , um leading a pretty 982 00:38:32,780 --> 00:38:35,002 active life . Let's just say , yeah , I 983 00:38:35,002 --> 00:38:37,058 would say it's the first time I ever 984 00:38:37,058 --> 00:38:39,169 had to ask myself , how is this going 985 00:38:39,169 --> 00:38:41,391 to change the rest of my life ? How I'm 986 00:38:41,391 --> 00:38:43,558 living my life . I have the antibodies 987 00:38:43,558 --> 00:38:45,280 now I'm still dealing with the 988 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,710 aftermath of Covid and And I'm not 100% 989 00:38:48,710 --> 00:38:51,380 sure that the antibodies are enough and 990 00:38:51,380 --> 00:38:54,260 by that I mean if if a booster shot 991 00:38:54,260 --> 00:38:57,290 comes , around I'm taking it myself and 992 00:38:57,300 --> 00:38:59,467 for those of you that haven't had it . 993 00:38:59,467 --> 00:39:01,244 And I know there's some young , 994 00:39:01,420 --> 00:39:03,730 athletic , very strong marines out 995 00:39:03,730 --> 00:39:05,790 there and I know when I was at your 996 00:39:05,790 --> 00:39:08,150 stage of service , I felt like I was 997 00:39:08,150 --> 00:39:10,650 bulletproof . Um , if I'm talking to 998 00:39:10,650 --> 00:39:12,706 myself and I'm back then I would say 999 00:39:12,706 --> 00:39:14,817 you don't , this is not something you 1000 00:39:14,817 --> 00:39:16,928 want to mess with , You don't want to 1001 00:39:16,928 --> 00:39:19,039 take it into chance and if there is a 1002 00:39:19,039 --> 00:39:18,980 vaccine that can prevent you from 1003 00:39:18,980 --> 00:39:21,240 getting this disease or this this uh 1004 00:39:21,250 --> 00:39:23,710 this virus in my personal opinion you 1005 00:39:23,710 --> 00:39:25,543 take it . I understand you might 1006 00:39:25,543 --> 00:39:28,340 disagree and I respect that this time . 1007 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,570 Yes . So let me turn over to start 1008 00:39:32,570 --> 00:39:34,903 major Ruiz here . Anything you an offer . 1009 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:38,530 Just how you started this morning 1010 00:39:39,220 --> 00:39:41,740 this morning . We saw C . A . T . V . 1011 00:39:41,750 --> 00:39:45,540 Conducted color school the track we see 1012 00:39:45,550 --> 00:39:48,570 cake cutting set . Okinawa is waking up 1013 00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:51,490 to their birthday all across the Marine 1014 00:39:51,490 --> 00:39:55,390 Corps sir . Yes , I wish 1015 00:39:55,390 --> 00:39:58,910 there was a magical can say those who 1016 00:39:58,910 --> 00:40:00,910 will choose not to take the vaccine 1017 00:40:01,810 --> 00:40:05,230 make you feel just not there just 1018 00:40:06,210 --> 00:40:08,377 bottom of my heart . That mistake your 1019 00:40:08,377 --> 00:40:11,630 decision and your service to see you . 1020 00:40:12,510 --> 00:40:14,677 Yeah . So we talked about this all the 1021 00:40:14,677 --> 00:40:16,843 time . So here's what I would offer to 1022 00:40:16,843 --> 00:40:19,560 you . Um first of all , regardless of 1023 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:21,671 what your decision is and whether you 1024 00:40:21,671 --> 00:40:23,893 continue service or not , you've earned 1025 00:40:23,893 --> 00:40:26,060 the title of marine . That's something 1026 00:40:26,060 --> 00:40:25,930 you'll have for the rest of your life . 1027 00:40:26,410 --> 00:40:29,210 And uh and it's it's so you know 1028 00:40:29,210 --> 00:40:31,400 sometimes we as marines forget about 1029 00:40:31,410 --> 00:40:33,577 what a tiny percentage of the american 1030 00:40:33,577 --> 00:40:36,610 population is willing to sign their 1031 00:40:36,610 --> 00:40:39,650 name and submit themselves to service . 1032 00:40:39,890 --> 00:40:42,910 Right ? But that really rare few that 1033 00:40:42,910 --> 00:40:44,799 actually chooses the Marine Corps 1034 00:40:44,799 --> 00:40:47,730 intentionally . That is a the term I 1035 00:40:47,740 --> 00:40:50,060 use is an irrational call to service 1036 00:40:50,060 --> 00:40:52,850 and you have it . So regardless of what 1037 00:40:52,850 --> 00:40:55,017 you do , you know it's our major and I 1038 00:40:55,017 --> 00:40:57,072 talked about this all the time . You 1039 00:40:57,072 --> 00:40:59,017 know , we we want to thank you for 1040 00:40:59,017 --> 00:40:58,270 everything you've done already . And I 1041 00:40:58,270 --> 00:41:00,590 mean that you put yourself potentially 1042 00:41:00,590 --> 00:41:02,646 into harm's way . So if you have put 1043 00:41:02,646 --> 00:41:04,757 yourself in harm's way and it means a 1044 00:41:04,757 --> 00:41:07,040 ton . So I have reflected uh like I 1045 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:09,262 said , I've had a ton of friction to my 1046 00:41:09,262 --> 00:41:11,207 service . So if you think about 25 1047 00:41:11,207 --> 00:41:13,096 years it's never ending . I guess 1048 00:41:13,096 --> 00:41:15,373 that's why they call it service . Well , 1049 00:41:15,373 --> 00:41:17,484 I'll just share one memory that comes 1050 00:41:17,484 --> 00:41:19,707 around to me every so often . I was the 1051 00:41:19,707 --> 00:41:21,707 company commander for Alpha Company 1052 00:41:21,707 --> 00:41:25,140 fourth LR . On september 10th 2001 . 1053 00:41:25,610 --> 00:41:27,721 And I had done everything I wanted to 1054 00:41:27,721 --> 00:41:29,554 do in the Marine Corps . I never 1055 00:41:29,554 --> 00:41:31,721 expected to stay in the Marine Corps . 1056 00:41:31,721 --> 00:41:33,666 In fact I just went to O . C . S . 1057 00:41:33,666 --> 00:41:33,540 Because I in part because I needed a 1058 00:41:33,540 --> 00:41:35,651 summer job and I wasn't gonna take my 1059 00:41:35,651 --> 00:41:37,873 commission took my commission was going 1060 00:41:37,873 --> 00:41:39,818 to do one tour . Got out after two 1061 00:41:39,818 --> 00:41:41,818 tours joined the reserves . Fell in 1062 00:41:41,818 --> 00:41:44,060 love with marines uh particularly the 1063 00:41:44,060 --> 00:41:46,282 marines of Alpha Company fourth L . A . 1064 00:41:46,282 --> 00:41:48,504 Are particularly the staff and ceos and 1065 00:41:48,504 --> 00:41:50,449 I hung out to get a shot to be the 1066 00:41:50,449 --> 00:41:52,616 company commander and I did . I had it 1067 00:41:52,616 --> 00:41:54,727 for over two years and I was supposed 1068 00:41:54,727 --> 00:41:56,949 to give it up that next drill weekend . 1069 00:41:56,949 --> 00:41:59,116 9 11 happens . And we had drilled that 1070 00:41:59,116 --> 00:42:01,227 weekend . Typically what happened was 1071 00:42:01,227 --> 00:42:03,227 the first heart would go out and he 1072 00:42:03,227 --> 00:42:05,282 would call formation on friday . You 1073 00:42:05,282 --> 00:42:07,449 would take accountability and then you 1074 00:42:07,449 --> 00:42:09,671 would turn the formation over to me . I 1075 00:42:09,671 --> 00:42:11,893 would say dismissed , bringing in close 1076 00:42:11,893 --> 00:42:13,893 and we'll have a quick conversation 1077 00:42:13,893 --> 00:42:16,116 about what happens this drill weekend . 1078 00:42:16,116 --> 00:42:18,116 So I remember putting on my uniform 1079 00:42:19,100 --> 00:42:21,480 that friday before I went to drill and 1080 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:23,640 I remember thinking holy cow , this 1081 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:25,751 uniform , this uniform has never felt 1082 00:42:25,751 --> 00:42:27,918 so good . I went to drill , we drilled 1083 00:42:27,918 --> 00:42:29,973 at a place called camp to leg on the 1084 00:42:29,973 --> 00:42:32,140 northern end of camp Pendleton at that 1085 00:42:32,140 --> 00:42:34,196 time . And I take the formation from 1086 00:42:34,196 --> 00:42:36,251 the first sergeant before I can even 1087 00:42:36,251 --> 00:42:38,307 look up and say dismissed . Like all 1088 00:42:38,307 --> 00:42:40,473 200 marines were right here in my face 1089 00:42:40,473 --> 00:42:42,680 and I could feel it , I could feel , 1090 00:42:42,690 --> 00:42:44,912 you know , you could have asked them to 1091 00:42:44,912 --> 00:42:47,900 do anything at that moment . One force , 1092 00:42:47,910 --> 00:42:49,930 just one single heartbeat , just 1093 00:42:49,940 --> 00:42:52,051 burning holes in me with their eyes . 1094 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:54,176 I'll never forget it until the day I 1095 00:42:54,176 --> 00:42:56,342 die . And uh , and I remember thinking 1096 00:42:56,342 --> 00:42:58,509 as I left that formation , thank God , 1097 00:42:58,509 --> 00:43:01,000 thank God I'm still a marine . And then 1098 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:03,480 in the ensuing decades , a number of 1099 00:43:03,490 --> 00:43:05,712 tours to Iraq and Afghanistan and other 1100 00:43:05,712 --> 00:43:08,490 places , no , what I can share with you . 1101 00:43:08,490 --> 00:43:11,120 Now in this moment of like frustration 1102 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:13,380 and friction as I near the end of my 1103 00:43:13,380 --> 00:43:16,380 service , all these troubles we go 1104 00:43:16,380 --> 00:43:18,547 through as part of our service , there 1105 00:43:18,547 --> 00:43:21,320 is no doubt in my mind that all of this 1106 00:43:21,700 --> 00:43:24,550 hardship and more importantly , you and 1107 00:43:24,550 --> 00:43:26,717 marines like you have simply made me a 1108 00:43:26,717 --> 00:43:28,939 better person than I would have been on 1109 00:43:28,939 --> 00:43:31,106 my own . And that's the value . You're 1110 00:43:31,106 --> 00:43:33,106 not gonna get rich doing this , you 1111 00:43:33,106 --> 00:43:35,272 gotta juggle multiple lives when these 1112 00:43:35,272 --> 00:43:37,328 moments come around , you gotta take 1113 00:43:37,328 --> 00:43:39,328 stock and why we do this . It's our 1114 00:43:39,328 --> 00:43:41,494 call to serve and and I have plenty of 1115 00:43:41,494 --> 00:43:43,606 friends who elected to get out . They 1116 00:43:43,606 --> 00:43:45,828 kicked themselves to this day that they 1117 00:43:45,828 --> 00:43:48,161 weren't in the ranks on the day of 9 11 . 1118 00:43:48,161 --> 00:43:50,383 So I just offer that to you . It was in 1119 00:43:50,383 --> 00:43:52,383 my heart today to talk to you about 1120 00:43:52,383 --> 00:43:52,140 that and that's how close this . And 1121 00:43:52,150 --> 00:43:54,317 again , I want to wish you all a happy 1122 00:43:54,317 --> 00:43:53,970 birthday .