Green Beret Forced Out for Following His Conscience: The John Frankman Story
What happens when duty to country collides with duty to conscience? For former Green Beret Captain John Frankman, that question became more than philosophical — it became the defining moment of his military career.
A respected officer in the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group, John’s path to service was built on faith, integrity, and a deep love for country. But in 2023, that same faith and moral clarity cost him his career. His refusal to comply with the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate — on religious and ethical grounds — forced him out of an institution he had devoted his life to serving.
In his appearance on Stories of Service with host Theresa Carpenter, John opened up about that difficult journey, the moral struggle behind his decision, and the growing need for principled leadership in America’s armed forces.
GUEST BIO: WHO IS JOHN FRANKMAN?
John Frankman is a former U.S. Army Green Beret Captain from the 7th Special Forces Group who became known for standing by his moral and religious convictions during the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Before joining the military, Frankman’s path was deeply shaped by faith — he converted to Catholicism and spent four years in seminary discerning the priesthood and chaplaincy. Ultimately, he chose to serve his country in uniform, completing some of the Army’s most grueling training programs, including Ranger School, Airborne School, Military Freefall, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
In 2023, after refusing the COVID vaccine on moral and religious grounds, Frankman was forced out of the Army, despite his strong record and leadership as a Green Beret officer. His decision stemmed from concerns about the ethical implications of the vaccine’s development and what he viewed as violations of informed consent and religious freedom.
From Faith to the Front Lines
John Frankman’s road to the Green Berets was anything but conventional. Before wearing the Army’s iconic green beret, he wore a collar — or nearly did. After converting to Catholicism, Frankman spent four years in seminary discerning the priesthood and the chaplaincy, drawn by a deep conviction to serve others and live a life rooted in purpose.
Ultimately, he chose a different form of service: the military. His calling to protect and defend, both physically and spiritually, led him through some of the Army’s toughest training — including Ranger School, Airborne School, the Special Forces Qualification Course, and Military Free Fall.
He embodied the ideal soldier: disciplined, faithful, and driven by a sense of higher purpose. Yet, his greatest test wasn’t in combat zones — it came in 2021, when following his conscience meant standing alone.
The Moment Everything Changed
As the Army began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine, Frankman immediately faced a moral dilemma. He had serious religious objections to the vaccine’s development and use of aborted fetal cell lines, as well as concerns about its expedited approval and ethical implications.
“I knew that getting the shot wasn’t something I could do in good conscience,” he told Carpenter. “But I also knew that refusing it would have consequences.”
Early in 2021, before any official mandate, pressure began building across his unit. Company leaders tracked vaccination rates like readiness metrics, using compliance as a measure of leadership performance. “It became a test of loyalty,” Frankman recalled. “The message was clear: get vaccinated or risk your reputation.”
Even before the Pentagon’s August 2021 mandate, Frankman’s team — one of the few unvaccinated units — was already facing scrutiny and professional isolation. Despite his exemplary record, his refusal to comply soon turned into a battle between principle and career survival.
“Get the Shot or Lose the Mission”
The breaking point came during preparations for a training mission in El Salvador. The Special Forces Command made vaccination a deployment requirement — even though the destination country itself had no such rule.
“I had one soldier willing to get the shot,” Frankman said. “The rest of us stood firm.” When he informed his commander, the response was blunt: either comply or forfeit the mission.
Losing that deployment was a painful blow for Frankman and his team. After years of elite training, they were sidelined — not for lack of skill or readiness, but for conviction.
“That decision showed me how far we’d drifted,” he said. “We were jumping out of planes at 14,000 feet with oxygen gear, but somehow, leadership decided the real risk was not having a shot.”
Harassment and Command Pressure
What followed was a campaign of subtle and overt coercion. Frankman and his soldiers were reassigned to unwanted training exercises. Their leaders, he says, used administrative tools, peer pressure, and veiled threats to compel compliance.
When the mandate finally took effect, things escalated. “They sent a major into the woods in the middle of a massive training exercise just to counsel us about the vaccine,” he recounted. “We were told we had 72 hours to decide — with no legal or medical counsel. It was absurd.”
The ordeal didn’t just challenge his faith — it tested his belief in the integrity of military leadership. “Special Forces soldiers are trained to think critically, to question, to adapt,” Frankman said. “But when it came to this issue, critical thinking was the enemy.”
Ultimately, his stand cost him his commission. In 2023, after more than a decade of service, Captain John Frankman was forced out of the U.S. Army.
A Voice for Conscience and Courage
Today, Frankman has turned his pain into purpose. He’s become a national advocate for service members who faced discrimination and retaliation under the vaccine mandate. His story — and others like it — continue to raise vital questions about conscience rights, leadership ethics, and accountability within the military.
He now works to restore what he calls the “moral compass of command,” emphasizing spiritual renewal and principled decision-making. “It’s not about politics,” he told Carpenter. “It’s about integrity. It’s about standing for what’s right, even when it costs you everything.”
His message has resonated far beyond the veteran community. For many Americans, John’s story symbolizes a broader struggle — between blind compliance and moral courage, between institutional loyalty and individual conviction.
Lessons in Moral Leadership
Frankman’s story isn’t just about one man’s refusal to take a vaccine. It’s about the cost of conscience and the fragility of ethical leadership under pressure.
He reminds us that the strength of the military — and of any nation — depends not only on obedience but on integrity. “When leaders care more about red boxes on a chart than the men they lead,” he said, “we’ve lost sight of the mission.”
In standing firm, Frankman became what the Green Beret motto calls for — De Oppresso Liber — a liberator of the oppressed, even when the oppression came from within.
WATCH FULL EPISODE HERE
🔑Key Takeaways
Moral conviction has a cost. Frankman’s refusal to compromise his faith ultimately ended his military career, but preserved his integrity.
Institutional pressure can erode trust. His experience highlights how bureaucratic enforcement and moral coercion can damage leadership credibility.
Courage means standing alone. Despite immense pressure, Frankman remained true to his conscience — a rare act of principle in a risk-averse culture.
Leadership must balance duty and conscience. His story calls for reforms that protect ethical dissent and ensure respect for religious beliefs within the ranks.
Faith as a foundation for resilience. Frankman’s background in seminary and faith life sustained him through one of the most difficult decisions of his career.
Final Reflection
In an era where compliance often trumps conviction, John Frankman’s story reminds us that real service begins with integrity. His journey from the seminary to the Special Forces — and finally to public advocacy — challenges us to reconsider what moral courage looks like in uniform.
As Frankman puts it, “Leadership isn’t about doing what’s easy or popular. It’s about doing what’s right — even when you stand alone.”
