Navy commander who filed complaint over Navy's 'rubber stamp' vaccine policy fired, demoted: report

The Navy has reportedly fired and demoted the commander who recently filed a complaint over the military branch denying requests for religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Cmdr. Robert Green Jr., the executive officer of Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron EIGHT, was fired Friday from his post and has been reassigned, according to a post on the blog site Terminal X. 

Regarding Green's firing, the Navy told Just the News, "On January 7, Capt. Jeffrey Grant, commodore, Maritime Expeditionary Security Group Two (MESG-2), relieved Cmdr. Robert Green, executive officer, Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron Eight, for loss of confidence in his abilities to perform his duties.  Cmdr. Kevin Witte-Hunt, chief staff officer, MESG-2, is temporarily assigned as executive officer until a permanent relief is identified. Green has been reassigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Group Two."

Green also was reportedly fired four days after U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor suspended the Navy's vaccine mandate for sailors seeking religious exemptions.

The judge cited Green's complaint in his decision and said that the Navy "merely rubber stamps each denial" of religious accommodation requests.

Green's complaint included a 50-step, standard-operating procedure that he claims the Navy is using to issue blanket denials for religious accommodation requests, in violation of law.

The firing also came the same day that Green's complaint was submitted to the House and Senate's respective Armed Services committees, under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act.

When asked if the firing was related to Green's complaint or the judge's ruling, the Navy said, "the Navy doesn't discuss ongoing litigation matters.  We don't have anything to add at this time."

Green has been reassigned to the staff of Maritime Expeditionary Security Group TWO. According to the Terminal X post, other middle- to senior-level Navy leaders also have been relieved of their duties for either refusing the vaccine, vocalizing their concerns regarding it, or both.