Buck was issued the order to take the vaccine when he was scheduled to be part of an emergency medical team deployed to Oman or Bahrain less than a week after the bombing of the USS Cole. He said he refused the order because he had treated patients at Keesler Medical Center who had adverse reactions to the vaccine. Once he faced criminal charges, he said he researched the vaccine further and became more convinced that it is potentially harmful to troops and is not effective. Monday, Buck's commander rejected his request that he be allowed to resign under a general discharge, which is granted to those with only minor infractions on their service record. It is a step below an honorable discharge, which is given to those with an exemplary record.
Anthrax is a disease that typically afflicts animals, especially sheep and cattle.
Dry anthrax spores, which can be put into weapons, can cause death in humans if inhaled. Buck has become a key figure in the resistance to the mandatory anthrax program. He and a former Air Force major filed suit May 2 against the Food and Drug Administration and the Defense Department in U.S. District Court in Washington seeking to end the program. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of the Sun Herald is expressly prohibited.