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The Jacksonville Daily News

Jdnews.com

Run Date: 06/05/2003

Marine faces court-martial over vaccination

A Marine Corps officer and helicopter pilot who military officials say refused to receive an anthrax vaccination is scheduled to face a charge of disobeying a lawful order in a general court-martial Monday at New River Air Station.

First Lt. Erick Enz, a CH-46 Sea Knight pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 162, Marine Aircraft Group 29, refused to participate in the Department of Defense-mandated anthrax vaccination program on Dec. 2, 2002, according to a response Wednesday from Cherry Point Air Station to a media query.

Enz was later counseled by command and medical officials in an effort to emphasize the importance of the vaccination as a protective measure and to stress that it was safe, the release said.

The anthrax vaccination has been the subject of discussion since its widespread use during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the early 1990s.

Critics say the vaccination causes serious side effects.

Some service personnel have objected to the vaccine on religious grounds.

Military officials would not speculate why Enz refused the vaccination. Enz could not be reached for comment.

The release cited unnamed prosecutors who said that Enz's commander gave him a formal written order to take the shot, but the aviator allegedly refused on Dec. 13 and Dec. 17.

If Enz is found guilty, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in jail, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a bad conduct discharge.

Cherry Point officials said they were unaware of any other such cases of Marines or sailors in their command who refused to take the anthrax shot.

“This is the only one I know of in the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing,” said Cherry Point Air Station spokesman Capt. Bruce Frame.

Cherry Point is the headquarters of the 14,800-member 2nd MAW. The wing includes units at New River and Beaufort, S.C., air stations.

Other Marines and sailors of HMM-162 deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in mid-January with the 7,000-member 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade aboard seven amphibious and are expected to return to home later this month.

The last local Marine to be prosecuted for refusing the anthrax vaccination was Sgt. James Muhammad of 8th Communication Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune.

Muhammad reportedly declined taking the shot because his Muslim religious beliefs prevent him from knowingly introducing anything that might be unhealthy into his body.

On April 9, in a lesser special court-martial, he was found guilty of a more serious charge of willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer. He was sentenced to 60 days confinement, reduction to the rank of private and a bad conduct discharge.

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