The OP has several questions rolled into one post. Not sure I will get to all of them, but before I start my dancing on the minefield, I wanted to put out some basic definitions to keep our terms straight.
The term Midshipman (MIDN) is vague......so for me, there are
1) Contracted MIDN or MIDN on contract, or MIDN who have a scholarship, signed a DD-4, and took the oath.
2) College Programmers, sometimes called "walk-ons". In most cases, they have been issued uniforms and fully participate in Naval Science classes and for all intents and purposes, they are considered MIDN like everyone else. BUT......they are not on an activated scholarship, did not take the oath, and did not sign a DD4. Some units do some of this paperwork in advance, but the easiest way to tell is that a College Programmer on a non activated scholarship will not be walking around with a CAC card unless they are a dependent of an active duty or retired military service member.
3) Non affiliated member. Typically, someone who is thinking about signing up for NROTC, but really isn't sure. They show up at some functions, not others, are not typically registered in Naval Science Classes, etc. They sign nothing and have been obligated to nothing. For the rest of my post, I do not speak to this category. They are under no obligations whatsoever.
So, for Navy policy, which affects active duty AND the Reserve Component, you need to be vaccinated. Active Duty needed to have their shots within 90 days of formal notification, which was submitted via an ALNAV message back in August of 2021. Reserve Component was given 120 days. MIDN in category 1 above are part of the Individual Ready Reserve, which means they are in the Reserve Component. Re-read the sentence before this one, and the answer is YES, they need to be vaccinated.
For people in category 2 above, they are not part of the IRR (yet), and do not have the obligation for vaccination by the Navy policy., So does this mean they are off the hook? NO!! Why? Because in nearly every instance of which I am aware, the universities with NROTC require vaccination to take the classes. If you are unable to take classes, and you cannot get your degree, you cannot commission. You will be disenrolled from the NROTC program due to failure to maintain your academic completion program.
Are boosters required? Tricky question. By current Navy policy (ALNAV 062/21) not right now. It is being evaluated. But, for some universities, to return to campus, they are requiring the booster. See my earlier remark about meeting university requirements. It applies to this as well. Can the Navy override a university policy? NO, not on their property.
And in case anyone is really bored on a Monday and wants to read the ALNAV, I have it below this. It's available online if you search for it, so it's not like I am revealing a closely guarded secret. I am sure this will be debated quite a bit with very passionate pleas to either carry out the policy or to not follow it. I've learned to use a great standard reply from an Admiral years ago.....and that reply is this........Hmmm, I appreciate your interest in our National Defense Mr. Meyers, now please sit down while advance to the next slide.
*******************************************************************************************
BIG NAVY POLICY
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UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 302126Z AUG 21 MID200001087789U
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC
CMC WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 062/21
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/AUG//
SUBJ/2021-2022 DEPARTMENT OF NAVY MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY//
REF/A/DOC/SECDEF/24AUG21//
AMPN/REF A IS THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMO MANDATING
CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 VACCINATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SERVICE MEMBERS//
RMKS/1. Protecting the health of the force and warfighting readiness is of
paramount importance. I thank and applaud all of you who have become fully
vaccinated. Your action helps to ensure the health and safety of you, your
family, your shipmates, and your mission.
2. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) adversely impacts Department of the
Navy (DON) force readiness and mission execution. Disease models indicate
that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus
that causes COVID-19, will continue to spread throughout 2021.
3. Vaccination is the most effective tool we have to prevent widespread
manifestation of COVID-19 in our force. Within the last year, millions of
Americans have received approved COVID-19 vaccines in response to this
emergency. One of the approved vaccines has received full licensure from the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This licensure approval provides
additional confidence and comfort in the safety of the most effective tool we
have in our arsenal against this threat. Considering this threat to the
health and readiness of Service Members, vaccination against COVID-19 using a
vaccine that has received full licensure from the FDA is now a mandatory
requirement in accordance with reference (a). Additional implementation
guidance will be issued via Navy and Marine Corps administrative message.
4. As the faithful maritime protectors of our country in peacetime and war,
each of us must take ownership of our readiness to preserve and protect the
force, and ensure the success of our mission. Effective immediately, all DON
active duty Service Members, who are not already vaccinated or exempted, are
required to be fully vaccinated within 90 days and all Reserve Component
Service Members are required to be fully vaccinated within 120 days of this
issuance with an FDA approved vaccination against COVID-19. Service Members
voluntarily immunized with a COVID-19 vaccine under FDA Emergency Use
Authorization or World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing in
accordance with applicable dose requirements prior to, or after, the
establishment of this policy are considered fully vaccinated. Service
Members who are actively participating in COVID-19 clinical trials are
exempted from mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 until the trial is
complete in order to avoid invalidating such clinical trial results.
5. The order to obtain full vaccination is a lawful order, and failure to
comply is punishable as a violation of a lawful order under Article 92,
Uniform Code of Military Justice, and may result in punitive or adverse
administrative action or both. The Chief of Naval Operations and Commandant
of the Marine Corps have authority to exercise the full range of
administrative and disciplinary actions to hold non-exempt Service Members
appropriately accountable. This may include, but is not limited to, removal
of qualification for advancement, promotions, reenlistment, or continuation,
consistent with existing regulations, or otherwise considering vaccination
status in personnel actions as appropriate.
6. Additional guidance will be provided with regard to reporting
requirements of vaccination numbers on a weekly basis to Assistant Secretary
of the Navy (Manpower & Reserve Affairs).
7. Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro Secretary of the Navy.//
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