Amanda Johnson, a Marine spouse and homeschooling mother of five, including twins and a newborn, is raising concerns after what she describes as prolonged resistance from the U.S. military medical system.
Her family’s planned relocation abroad has been delayed because their children haven’t received all suggested vaccinations, even though Navy policy specifies they aren’t mandatory. The Marine Corps relies on the Navy for logistical support and medical care, utilizing services from Navy Medical, a collaborative military service.
On her Instagram account, where she has nearly 15,000 followers, Johnson shared her story. A well-known commenter summarized the issue by stating, “The bitter irony of military families losing freedoms while their father serves to protect American freedoms… disgraceful.”
MAHA moms and children attend a U.S. Health and Human Services news conference on food dyes in Washington, D.C. (Ashley DiMella/Fox News Digital)
“We’re not breaking any rules. Peru doesn’t require vaccines, and Navy policy doesn’t either,” Johnson said. “We’ve done everything right, but, still, we’re stuck.
“My husband’s chain of command supports us and keeps asking, ‘Who do we need to call?’ But there’s no one. No officer has ever called us from Navy Medical. We haven’t worked with a single point of contact on our case.”
Marine Capt. Hunter Johnson, Amanda’s husband, wrote a detailed prevention and medical readiness letter to Navy Medical Jacksonville, outlining the measures his family takes to maintain their children’s health.
“Our children have not been, and will not be, enrolled in childcare. My wife is fully devoted to their daily care,” he wrote. “We homeschool using Time4Learning and limit exposure to institutional illness risks.
“Peru has no vaccination requirements… My continued presence is essential to our family’s stability. This is not a deployment, it’s a PCS [permanent change of station].”
Despite that, Amanda Johnson says Navy Medical Jacksonville denied the package and falsely claimed last month it had been sent to Naval Medical Atlantic Region for final review.
The Johnson family may not be able to complete their permanent change of station to Peru due to a Navy Medical decision they’ve fought since earlier this year. (iStock)
The stress has deeply affected their family. Johnson shared that her husband delayed his paternity leave to avoid being recycled through his language course.
“He went back to work five days after I had our fifth baby. Now, during his leave, instead of relaxing, he’s chasing paperwork and dealing with this nightmare,” she said.
They’ve already secured housing in Peru and booked an Airbnb near Los Angeles International Airport as they prepare for their flight.
“They told us, ‘You can push out your orders,’ but that’s absolutely not an option. We’re not going to be punished because Navy can’t get it together,” she said.
The family filed a congressional inquiry through the office of Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Johnson also confirmed that the office of Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, reached out after seeing her story on Instagram.
The official seal of the Navy. (Paul Richards/AFP via Getty Images)
“My husband had a phone call with them and explained everything. I’m not from Texas, but they saw the post and wanted to help,” she said. “It’s a big, big mess.”
Johnson said she isn’t just asking for her own family to be cleared. She wants reform.
“I want whoever denied our package to be held accountable. There should be consequences. The policy is clear, and they’re ignoring it,” she said. “No doctor in the Navy should be allowed to declare a child unsuitable for travel just because of their vaccine status. That needs to end.”
She said she hopes her story sparks wider change.
“Vaccination status is no one’s business, especially for dependents. I hope the Navy stops asking altogether unless the host country requires it. We’re being punished for nothing.”
The Department of the Navy did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
