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.
Jillian Butler · Nov 2, 2026 · 2 min read
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 Hegseth relaxed 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.”
In June, approximately 300 airman trainees contracted the flu, with some becoming severely ill, NPR reported.
Following the outbreak, the Air Force sought an exception to policy request (ETP), requesting for the vaccine to be mandatory for “recruits, training population, those in congregate living, rapid deployment forces, deployed forces, healthcare personnel, civilian personnel employed in childcare and youth services, and Air Mobility Command personnel assigned as air crew assisting United States Transportation Command Taskings.”
Commanders are allowed to submit further ETP requests, compelling service members under their leadership to get the vaccine, according to an October memo acquired by Military Times.
A decision not to comply can result in punitive actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), according to the outlet.
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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].