The Pentagon reinstated its flu vaccine requirement for all military recruits on Wednesday after a flu outbreak sickened nearly 300 people at an Air Force base boot camp in Texas, reversing a policy put in place by War Secretary Pete Hegseth just two months ago.
The War Department confirmed to multiple outlets that all military boot camps are once again requiring flu shots for incoming recruits, a decision that comes as an influenza outbreak at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has grown to about 275 confirmed cases.
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A Pentagon official told the Associated Press the renewed requirement was not a response to the outbreak but rather the culmination of an exemption process that began after Hegseth made annual flu vaccination optional for service members in April, saying the timing was coincidental.
When Hegseth announced the policy change in April, he described the long-standing mandate as an issue of “medical autonomy” and religious freedom while allowing the military services to seek exceptions for specific populations. The Army, Navy, and Air Force, National Security Agency, and Defense Health Agency all requested permission to continue requiring the vaccine for recruits undergoing basic training, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said.
The outbreak at Lackland began earlier this month in the close-quarters environment of Air Force basic training, where recruits sleep in open bays, share communal facilities, and spend much of the day in close contact.
Only about 40% of incoming recruits received flu shots after the vaccine became optional, the Associated Press reported.
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The Air Force has since begun vaccinating members of the affected recruit class and will require vaccines for all new arrivals at the installation. The Army is also preparing to expand mandatory flu vaccinations to additional high-risk groups, including troops deploying overseas, healthcare workers, and first responders.
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland earlier this month saw the death of an Air Force trainee, Keon McDaniel, after he suffered a medical emergency during basic training. Military officials have said the cause of death is under investigation, which includes a comprehensive medical review.
