A former National Guardsman who sought a religious exemption to the military COVID-19 vaccine mandate was given the mRNA shot instead of the flu vaccine after refusing the COVID vaccine multiple times.
- Specialist Mathew Bouchard, who served in the military for six years, said he first filled out a vaccine refusal form in April 2021, then again in November when he was ordered to get the flu shot despite the fact that he was leaving the military two months later
- There were two separate lines for vaccinations, one for COVID and the other for the flu, and there were two different noncommissioned officers (NCOs) administering the vaccines
- The COVID NCO changed his mind and offered the shot to someone else, but the person did not want the shot
- It was unusual for an NCO to offer the shot because there are supposed to be different NCOs to give the vaccine
- Additionally, the vaccines should be labeled differently
The day after receiving the vaccine, Bouchard was called into a meeting with a sergeant major, chaplain, and others in the chain of command who told him that he was given the COVID vaccine instead of the flu shot.
- When he asked if this was planned, he was told it wasn't, that this was the first time it happened and the NCO who gave him the wrong shot felt terrible about it.
- There was no evidence that the Maine National Guard had investigated or provided an explanation.
Pressure on military commanders to vaccinate all service members
- Military commanders are under tremendous pressure to get all of their service members vaccinated, and will be judged harshly for those who aren't
- With jobs at stake, commanders may be driven to make a mistake or be tempted to cut corners
The vaccine switch was a “mistake”
- Bouchard tried to report the vaccine switch as an assault to local police, but they wouldn’t take on a federal case.
- Younts said his client will try to pursue an inspector general complaint.
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