Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

After Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ended the military's flu shot mandate in April 2026, a major flu outbreak struck Lackland Air Force Base in Texas , with at least 222 recruits diagnosed with the flu . In response, Pentagon officials announced that new recruits for the Army, Navy, and Air Force will now be required to get flu vaccinations, with the current crop of recruits and all recruits going forward to be vaccinated . There will reportedly be far more exceptions put in place soon, leading to vaccination mandates for deployed troops, healthcare personnel, and more .

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-06-24