"Military could owe billions to service members involuntarily discharged for refusing COVID shots"

"The U.S. military could owe billions in back pay and legal fees depending on the outcome of three class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of service members who allege they were wrongfully discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Among the claims made by the plaintiffs are that the military could not legally mandate vaccines issued under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), as was the case with the COVID-19 vaccines, and that it was nearly impossible for service members requesting a religious exemption to have those requests approved

Dale Saran, who is the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, told Fox Business his legal team represents 'basically everybody who got kicked out, discharged or dropped to the IRR [individual ready reserve] as a result of not taking the vaccine.'

This could include more than 100,000 former service members, according to the plaintiffs’ legal team, led by Saran and two other attorneys: Brandon Johnson and J. Andrew Meyer...

The lawsuits seek financial restitution, including back pay and legal fees for the named plaintiffs, the establishment of a common fund that would provide compensation for plaintiffs who later join any of the class action suits, reinstatement of the service members and correction of their records.

The lawsuits also allege the U.S. government committed 'illegal exactions' by 'indebting' some of the affected service members when it demanded that enlistment bonuses, post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits, training and tuition costs and 'other allowances or special pays, such as separation pay or travel allowances,' be returned.

According to the plaintiffs’ legal team, when Congress ordered the DOD to rescind the mandate, it did not explicitly order the military to provide back pay and financial compensation for all the service members and veterans harmed by the mandate."