Can the military give someone a UA over a flu shot?

2021-08-04T08:41:52-04:00

i have an email from my LPO stating that the UA was given to me over a flu shot in telework conditions after he told me i was good for the weekend. yes it is stated that he was in touch with me during the drill in question and that i was participating under telework conditions for the drill weekend. however i was marked ua for failing to receive a flushot by the end of sunday that drill weekend with it being communicated i was good due to having an appointment for the flu shot the next day. This all took place in January after we stated to telework drill in October last year. Neither I or my LPO (Leading Petty Officer) were informed of the UA until we were told in April that I was being admin seperated for UA. MILPERSMAN 1001-150 Paragraph 5 Section D If the Service member fails to perform a scheduled IDT period and does not notify the unit CO or NRA by the end of the IDT period(s) in order to reschedule or request AAs, the IDT period is declared an unexcused absence (UA), and the Service
member forfeits the right to earn pay and or points for the IDT
period(s) in question.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2021 9:37 AM

2021-08-04T09:37:26-04:00

Yes, if the unit commander gave a direct order (and a unit training schedule is a direct order from the unit commander), failing to complete that order by the end of the drill can be coded as unsatisfactory performance (U) for 1 to 4 periods of that drill.
Flu shots start on 1 SEP for DoD and the deadlines are around DEC, as this is now August, I am guessing that this is not the first mention of flu shots in your unit, and I am guessing that after 11 months, your unit commander was not fine with you having a future appointment for a flu shot.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Aug 4 at 2021 10:28 AM

2021-08-04T10:28:22-04:00

I'm confused. What is the connection between urinalysis (UA) and the flu shot?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2021 10:47 AM

2021-08-04T10:47:36-04:00

This sounds like your first line leader isn't talking to command. Your command simply is looking at stats and marking everyone UA who isn't green on the flu shot.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2021 11:08 AM

2021-08-04T11:08:59-04:00

While I understand the frustration I guess I’m confused how you couldn’t get a flu shot until February?

I lived in Ohio at the time and got mine in September at Walgreens. You literally went on the LHI website and requested a voucher and within 24 hours a voucher was created you printed off and took the Walgreens and got the shot and uploaded your documentation to LHI and could send it to your unit as well. This was in Ohio during the height of covid so not being able to get a flu shot isn’t really tracking.

My suggestion would be if you have a copy of said conversation on teams (what we were using for virtual drill) then print a copy and then take your flu shot documentation when you got and have a conversation with your commander using their open door policy. Has your documentation been updated in LHI and with your unit? If not that might be why you’re getting the administrative discharge step. Your commander might have gotten the flu shot list and your name might still be red and they are just tired of it not being completed over 6 months later.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Aug 4 at 2021 11:51 AM

2021-08-04T11:51:29-04:00

I'll go with, based on your other comments (that you should have posted in the OP) they did.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Aug 4 at 2021 3:04 PM

2021-08-04T15:04:57-04:00

If you failed to get a flu shot until February I could see that being an issue.
I don't see how you were discharged for a single day of UA. You normally need several U's (from what research confirms you need 9 missed drills) on the record before the Command moves to discharge an individual. There must be more to the story than what we see in this post.