Cue Lyrics…..“It wasn’t too much wine I had last night, it was a double shot of my baby’s love…..yeah, yeah, yeah!” Various

WARNING….This is NOT a music blog, it’s about the COVID-19, which is far more serious, but………A little music will help us get started!

In typical Zulu Delta 45 fashion, let’s do this the “round-about- nonsense-filled way.”

In 1963, a Louisiana music group called “Dick Holler And The Holidays” recorded a song called “Double Shot Of My Baby’s Love.” It didn’t really “go anywhere” until 1966 when a South Carolina-based group called “The Swinging Medallions” re-recorded it and became a “big hit.” Bruce Springsteen once said it was the greatest college party song EVER! An interesting side to a side note? In two different incarnations of the band, the following men played in the group; Mac Rebennack, A.K.A. “Dr. John,” and Johnny Ramistella, A.K.A. Johnny Rivers (who I would have loved to see in his prime in the ’60s as the “house band” at “The Whiskey A-Go-G0” in Los Angeles, California).

Enough goofing around.

I recently read that less than 50% of the Active Duty Military has been vaccinated for COVID-19.

I’m shocked, dismayed, and mad as hell! This is more than just a National Security Issue. The worst part; it shouldn’t be this way at all, because it comes down to ignorance, and a loophole.

The articles about the military low vaccination rates I read stated that because the COVID-19 vaccination is considered “experimental,” the shot has become optional for members of the military.

For “those of Us” who remember getting vaccine shots as little kids at grade school, and those getting shots with “shotguns;” one in each arm simultaneously in the Military, and Peace Corps, and those getting shots to ward off the flu, and then the  “Queen Mother of all shots;” the COVID shot, this erratic behavior by some in the Military, seems like a betrayal!

So many in the World had, and continue to have, extreme anticipation of the day when we could finally get the “one-shot” Johnson & Johnson, or the “double shot” of Pfizer or Moderna COVID vaccination. So many people never got, or never will get the chance of a vaccination. Death by Pandemic.

If there are people out there, who are opposed to or cannot get the shot due to “legitimate medical conditions,” my sympathy goes out to you. If you refuse to get the shot because you think Bill Gates will be implanting a microchip in you to track your every word and movement, you’re a moron who should reconsider how your phone and internet data are being tracked and sold constantly.

Continuing with the articles I read, the military stated two of the main reasons why the shot is being refused. The first is the backlash of massive incorrect information; from chip implantation to the alleged nefarious activity of the pharmaceutical companies to harvest organs and promote ambitions to redesign the human race! While we’re at it, let’s throw in the Catholic Church; claiming that some vaccines reward society for having abortions by using stem cells from fetuses to develop the vaccines. The second reason that so many in the Military have refused shots is simple; “because they can!” In a culture where so much personal choice is taken from service people, the novelty of being able to say “NO, I don’t want to do that,” is inviting,

To counteract the trend and statistics, the Military is waging its own little war; against ignorance. It has gone on the offensive. It is now seeking out on social media and in the news, all stories and campaigns about why the vaccine is dangerous, bad, and promoting declining it. They are using that information to educate and inform service members of the benefits and healthy logic of getting the vaccine. It’s funny, how the United States has spent “GA-Zillions”  of dollars on disinformation and intellectual warfare in so many countries, and now one of the largest and most dire efforts they are involved with is the fight against their own members!

There is a third reason why service members won’t get the vaccine; they are terrified by getting shots and needles! I have seen this first hand. In the Navy, we were CONSTANTLY getting shots for “something.” Especially in Boot Camp. We would line up single-file. The first guy would step up to the white line and hold. The next guy in line would walk up and stand directly behind him. The first guy at the line would get two shots; one in each arm with the “shot gun.” The second guy behind him was there to catch him if he should faint! The threat of punishment for letting your “shipmate” fall to the deck was far more frightening than any shot would ever be. I never saw anyone faint, but I heard plenty of stories! When transferring commands in the Navy, you always carried your service record. The most important document was always your shot record. If you lost this, you automatically had to receive every shot you ever had in the service; and there were a lot of them! There was none of this silly nonsense of “denying the procedure!!!!!!!”

On my second ship, “The Doc;” a.k.a. the Ships Corpsman was forever chasing guys to come by sickbay and get their shots (especially the “tough guys.”) The Doc told me it was a full-time job.

On my first ship, they NEVER had that problem. We used to get paid in cash every two weeks regardless of where we were around the world; out to sea or not. The Chief  Corpsman put the “shot line” at the head of the pay line. “No Shot-No Pay!” Simple. Done. 

If you won’t get the vaccine to help others, get it for yourself. 

Just get it!