Three U.S. Air Force Academy cadets who refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine will graduate the school this week, but will not be commissioned as U.S. military officers, according to the Air Force.
A statement released by Academy spokesman Dean Miller said that while the three will get a degree “they will not be commissioned into the United States Air Force as long as they remain unvaccinated.”
The three Air Force Academy cadets are the only students at U.S. military academies who have been denied a commission for not being vaccinated, according to a story from The Associated Press.
In addition, the three may be required to reimburse the U.S. government for their education, Miller said. That decision will be made by the secretary of the Air Force.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is the scheduled speaker at Wednesday’s Air Force Academy graduation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
