The Pentagon reinstates mandatory influenza vaccination for all new recruits after an outbreak at the Air Force boot camp at Lackland that has sickened at least 275 trainees and hospitalized two. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the long-standing mandate in late April and only about 40 percent of new trainees at Lackland accepted the optional shot during the policy lapse. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell says exceptions to the optional policy were approved in early June for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency and Defense Health Agency to protect readiness and high-risk groups. Public health experts and former
Pentagon health officials criticized the rollback’s timing and coordination, while
Families Fighting Flu and some lawmakers urged reinstatement after a recruit died following a medical emergency.