The military has required an annual influenza vaccination for troops since 1945. In April, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rescinded this requirement. He said ending the flu vaccine mandate would give troops “freedom to express their religious convictions.”
After the US military ended its flu vaccine requirement, only 40% of recruits got vaccinated. This meant 60% of new recruits were susceptible to being infected with the influenza virus. Two months later, the influenza virus has infected at least 275 people undergoing basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Four recruits have been hospitalized and one has died.
On June 24, 2026, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told ABC News the military had been granted exceptions to Hegseth’s policy. The Army, Navy, and Air Force have once again begun requiring a flu vaccination for basic trainees.
References
Filip Timotija, The Hill, June 19, 2026.
Jeremy Faust and Maris Donnely, Did Pete Hegseth single-handedly raise the Ro of flu? Inside Medicine, June 23, 2026.
Cobern J, et al, Military services again requiring recruits to get flu shots as Air Force outbreak grows, ABC News, June 24, 2026.
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