The Navy has discharged 23 sailors with “an honorable characterization of service” for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. That makes 45 sailors who have been separated for defying the mandate.

About 5,000 active duty sailors are still unvaccinated two months after the deadline. Many of them have put in for religious exemptions, but as The Hill noted, those seem unlikely to be approved, because the Marine Corps is the only branch that has approved religious exemption requests so far.

Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Vermeulen