The military traded its flu vaccine mandate for ‘medical freedom’ – an outbreak quickly followed
Amid a worsening flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, the U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy are once again requiring new recruits to get vaccinated against the influenza virus, according to ABC News. The move comes two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rescinded the U.S. military’s mandate that they do so.
As of June 23, 2026, at least 222 recruits on the base have fallen ill and four have reportedly been hospitalized.
In his April 21 announcement making the flu vaccine optional, Hegseth cited medical autonomy and religious freedom, describing the vaccination requirement as “overly broad and not rational,” telling troops that “your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable.”
The flu shot requirement that Hegseth ended had been in place since 1945, with one brief pause in 1949. It was part of a tradition of military vaccine mandates nearly as old as the United States itself.
https://theconversation.com/the-military-traded-its-flu-vaccine-mandate-for-medical-freedom-an-outbreak-quickly-followed-286094Open linkView original on toast.ooo
The entire point of the army is doing what you're told
Ehhh to a certain extent. The American military isn't as stiff with that as most countries. It's heavily taught to "think on your feet". Because if shit goes sideways, you want to be able to react. Also not following illegal orders but that one seems to have taken a backseat.
That human wort hegseth doesn’t even believe in germs
What a time to be alive. So dumb.