The Navy and the Department of Defense have settled a lawsuit over the former COVID-19 vaccine mandate with 36 members of the Special Warfare community, the law firm representing the plaintiffs announced Wednesday.
A settlement hearing between lawyers for the Special Warfare community members and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro took place Wednesday. Details were not immediately available on PACER, the online site for federal court documents. The lawsuit was initially filed on behalf of the 36 Special Warfare community members but was turned into a class suit, according to a news release from First Liberty, the law firm that handled the case for the plaintiffs.
According to the settlement agreement, included as exhibit one in a motion by attorneys for Austin and Del Toro, the Navy will review all personnel records of the plaintiffs to ensure the sea service removed any administrative separation processing or proceedings, formal counseling or non-judicial punishments related to the refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Navy will also review the personnel records of the plaintiffs who were separated to make sure there is a reenlistment code on their DD-214 and that there are no indications they were discharged for misconduct.
Other agreements focused on religious accommodations and beliefs, with the Navy required to do training and include a public statement on its website about the acceptance of religious beliefs. The Navy will also have to pay $1.5 million in attorney fees.
“This has been a long and difficult journey, but the Navy SEALs never gave up,” Danielle Runyan, chair of the Military Practice Group at First Liberty Institute, said in the release. “We are thrilled that those members of the Navy who were guided by their conscience and steadfast in their faith will not be penalized in their Navy careers.”
