Military Chaplains Plan to Appeal Judge’s Dismissal of Lawsuit Against Pentagon’s Vaccine Mandate

On Aug. 15, a group of 42 chaplains seeking to challenge the Pentagon’s vaccine mandate on the grounds of religious freedom filed a lawsuit in the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. On Sept. 28, their case was heard by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Eight weeks later, on Nov. 23, Trenga dismissed the case, citing a lack of jurisdiction.
Chaplain (Lt.) Jonathan Shour enlisted in the Air Force in 2005, and after serving six years, he elected to go back to school and become a chaplain. He reentered the military in 2013 as a chaplain, first in the reserve and then on active duty. In 2021, he transitioned from the Air Force to the Navy….}