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Charged for refusing anthrax vaccine { April 27 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/04272003_nw_anthrax.htmlhttp://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/04272003_nw_anthrax.html
Charged for Refusing Anthrax Vaccine
Reservist from PA Faces Court-Martial
FORT DRUM, NY-April 27, 2003 — A 26-year-old Army reservist at Fort Drum faces a court-martial beginning Monday for her refusal to receive an anthrax vaccine.
Pvt. Kamila Iwanowska said she resisted receiving the shots on religious and medical grounds. Military prosecutors will try her for refusing to obey a lawful order.
The Army said Iwanowska of New York City refused an anthrax shot at Fort Drum after reporting for pre-deployment processing with her unit in January.
Iwanowska said she considers the shot medically dangerous to children she might have in the future, saying the long-term effects of the anthrax vaccine are unknown. She also said she could not take the vaccine because of the Roman Catholic religion she practices and the respect it accords unborn infants.
The Pentagon insists the vaccination is safe, with severe adverse reactions developing in about one in 100,000 vaccinations. Anthrax is a naturally occurring virus that typically affects sheep and cattle. When inhaled, dry anthrax spores can be deadly to humans.
Iwanowska was demoted from the rank of specialist in an Article 15 disciplinary action imposed by her unit commander, said Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, a Fort Drum spokesman.
Hilferty said Iwanowska works in fuel transport and handling with the 828th Quartermaster Company from Wilkes-Barre, Pa. She had been on loan to the 233rd Quartermaster Company at Fort Drum.
Meanwhile, the Army is considering an administrative release for another female soldier who refused the anthrax vaccine.
Pvt. Rhonda Hazley served a 14-day jail sentence and lost her specialist's rank following a court-martial last month.
Administrative discharges take several forms depending on the circumstances, Hilferty said. Hazley could be deprived of some or all of her military benefits, he said.
Hazley, of East Dublin, Ga., a wheeled-vehicle mechanic with 514th Maintenance Company, said she refused the shot because she feared it could harm the health of her breast-feeding infant.
In February, two Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton in California refused to take the anthrax vaccine. Both men were deployed to the Middle East and have courts-martial pending upon their return.
Two Air Force officers filed a lawsuit last year against the Bush administration and the Pentagon challenging the mandatory anthrax vaccines for the nation's 2.4 million service members.
In 2001, Air Force Capt. John Buck was given 60 days of base restriction and fined $21,000 for refusing the anthrax vaccine while stationed at Kessler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Former Maj. Sonnie Bates refused the vaccine in 1999 while stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and was forced to end his 14-year military career and pay a fine.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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