Well, the anthrax vaccine is one that is delivered in several steps. I think there is a series of 6 or 7 shots before you hit the annual booster phase. I just happened to have my two sea tours and deployments coincide with the start of the vaccine program. There was a couple year hiatus in which the vaccine was being challenged and the program had been suspended. I know that J never did the whole regimen, and of the folks on my second ship, there were only a couple who had been given shots under the first round. They were only vaccinating those who would be deploying to the Middle East. There may be more in the other services, but just because of when there was a break in the program and the relatively small percentage of careerist, I'm sure there aren't that many who have done the whole thing.
It is very hard to refuse vaccines in the US military. Folks who refused smallpox and anthrax were getting taken to court martial and being discharged. Normally any religion that opposes vaccines tends to oppose being the military, so finding someone who won't get vaccinated (other than the flue which you can avoid at some commands because they are so large) is incredibly rare. and I have no idea if the anthrax vaccination program is still in place as I've not been to sea for a while and I never got my next booster.
Interesting about autism and breastfed/formula fed. Just given the fact that formulas have chemicals in them, I would think that would have been something that would be studied. But then again, the formula folks spend a lot of money still trying to subtly convince mothers that formula is better (though thankfully in the US they have to have on the package somewhere that breastmilk is best, but it's always in small print). And of course, there are all the other chemicals in everything else, including cow's milk (which if Katie actually would drink anything from a cup or bottle, I would buy organic for her, but we are still fighting the drink battle)
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Date: 2008-05-18 11:58 am (UTC)It is very hard to refuse vaccines in the US military. Folks who refused smallpox and anthrax were getting taken to court martial and being discharged. Normally any religion that opposes vaccines tends to oppose being the military, so finding someone who won't get vaccinated (other than the flue which you can avoid at some commands because they are so large) is incredibly rare. and I have no idea if the anthrax vaccination program is still in place as I've not been to sea for a while and I never got my next booster.
Interesting about autism and breastfed/formula fed. Just given the fact that formulas have chemicals in them, I would think that would have been something that would be studied. But then again, the formula folks spend a lot of money still trying to subtly convince mothers that formula is better (though thankfully in the US they have to have on the package somewhere that breastmilk is best, but it's always in small print). And of course, there are all the other chemicals in everything else, including cow's milk (which if Katie actually would drink anything from a cup or bottle, I would buy organic for her, but we are still fighting the drink battle)