The Department of Defense has reversed its April policy that made flu vaccinations voluntary, ordering that all new recruits receive the flu shot before entering basic training. The change comes via exceptions granted to each service branch, allowing them to re‑impose the requirement for boot‑camp personnel.
Pentagon officials said the move follows a series of exemptions issued after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the voluntary approach. Undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata approved exceptions for the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force (and its Space Force component), the NSA and the Defense Health Agency. A Navy spokesperson confirmed the flu vaccine is now mandatory for recruit training, while an Air Force official noted a localized influenza outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, where only about 40% of trainees had been vaccinated and a trainee died of flu‑like symptoms.
Medical teams are isolating sick trainees and treating them with antivirals such as Tamiflu while the services roll out the new requirement. Officials say the policy aims to preserve operational readiness and protect vulnerable personnel as the outbreak continues to be monitored.
