Vacci-cation Military should investigate anthrax vaccine L ast Thursday, Air Force Major Sonnie Bates was discharged from the military for refusing the controversial anthrax vaccine. He was one of the highest-ranking officials in the military to decline the unproven and unsafe vaccine. By letting Bates go, the Department of Defense has wasted an opportunity to seriously reevaluate its decision to vaccinate all military personal against the biological agent. It must stop these forced vaccinations and instead work to find better way to safeguard our military.
Anthrax is an extremely deadly bacterium used in biological warfare.
Infection can be treated after exposure to the biological agent, but only if treatment is given before symptoms appear. Once illness sets in, the patient will almost certainly die. Accordingly, the Defense Department has looked for more preventative measures, such as vaccines, to treat infection. While it is generally a good idea to protect our troops against biological weapons, the way in which the military has implemented its anthrax vaccination program is not. In 1998, Defense Secretary William Cohen ordered the military's entire 2.4 million active and reserve uniformed personnel to take vaccine.