Newly published images show the digital tool that the U.S. Coast Guard has been utilizing to swiftly deny requests for exemptions from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The five screenshots of the tool show how the Coast Guard has been violating the rights of service members who have legitimate reasons for requesting an exemption but have had their requests denied, lawyers, lawmakers, and members say.
The digital tool, known as the Religious Accommodations Appeal Generator (RAAG), enables Coast Guard officials to select from a pre-populated list of 25 reasons a request is submitted and quickly produce a document denying a request.
Reasons include the risk of death from COVID-19 being minimal, how vaccines don’t work well or at all against infection, and having duties that do not bring a member into contact with the public….