A video is going viral claiming that multiple F-22 Air Force pilots have “walked out” over a requirement that they get the COVID-19 vaccine:
https://twitter.com/MaajidNawaz/status/1436268205111226372
Yeah, that’s just not how it works:
Lmao @ "walk-outs".
Folks don't know how the military works. https://t.co/Hjt1QP8wxu
— A Man With No Name (@SnottieDrippen) September 10, 2021
The Department of Defense and the Air Force both denied the allegations in the video and said no “message went out threatening court martial if a service member did not receive the vax”:
I quickly called DoD and Air Force.
DoD: no message went out threatening court martial if a service member did not receive vax. Current policy is to leave to command.
AF: No F-22 pilots or bomber crew members walked off the job. Active duty is required to get vax by Nov. 2.🙄 https://t.co/kMJv3jxwM8— Phil McCausland (@PhilMcCausland) September 10, 2021
And:
A Department of Defense spokesperson, Charlie Dietz, says the Defense Secretary "has never sent any kind of force-wide text message" and that "we have no awareness of any kind of Air Force pilot walk-off."
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 10, 2021
And it looks like this claim started with a parody site a few days ago:
Ah, interesting: A week ago, PolitiFact debunked a highly similar nonsense article – with the 10 AM deadline and everything – that was published on a site that pushes false claims under the guise of "humor, parody and satire." https://t.co/LPG83C03td
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 10, 2021
Come on, people. Be better than this:
Here is an actual look at the website where the "US military pilots resign commissions after getting a text demanding they get vaccinated by 10 AM" story originated. pic.twitter.com/sOPFvp9TQS
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 10, 2021
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