First Liberty Institute and Hacker Stephens LLP announced a settlement on July 24, 2024 with the U.S. Navy on behalf of thousands of Navy service members who had religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The lawsuit was originally filed on behalf of dozens of Navy SEALs and Navy Special Operators and was later expanded to cover a class of all Navy service members who had such objections. The settlement ensures that Navy service members who refused the COVID vaccine for religious reasons will now have an opportunity to have their records corrected and their careers protected when up for promotions, as the boards are prohibited from considering any adverse information related solely to COVID-19 vaccine refusal in cases in which a religious accommodation was requested. “This has been a long and difficult journey, but the Navy SEALs never gave up,” said Danielle Runyan, Chair of the Military Practice Group and Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute. Mrs. Runyan was a featured guest on VSRF Live on August 1, 2024 to share more details about this big win against COVID vaccine mandates in the military.
