Airmen Could Face Punishment For Refusing Flu Shots Despite Hegseth’s Mandate Rollback

The Pentagon is quietly reinstating mandatory flu vaccinations for certain Air Force personnel, reversing course on an earlier policy that made the shots voluntary.

The Air Force has reintroduced flu vaccine requirements for select personnel following a widespread outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, Military Times reported Oct. 29. The policy reversal comes after Secretary of War Pete Hegsethrelaxed the military’s vaccination requirements in April, and an outbreak two months later subsequently infected nearly 300 trainees, hospitalizing four, NPR reported.

Lackland Air Force Base did not immediately reply for comment.

“We are seizing this moment to discard any overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities … the notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member, everywhere in every circumstance, at all times is just overly broad and not rational,” Hegseth said in an April 21 video posted to X.

“Our new policy is simple: if you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it — you should,” he added. “But we will not force you, because your body, your faith, your convictions are not negotiable.”