The United States Department of Defence has announced that service members will no longer be required to receive an annual flu vaccination, ending a policy that had been in place for more than 80 years.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made the announcement in a video statement posted to social media on Tuesday, describing the mandate as 'overly broad' and 'not rational'. He said the decision to drop the requirement was part of 'seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities'.
A Pentagon memorandum released on Tuesday confirmed the policy change applies to active duty, reserve component and civilian personnel. Hegseth stated that while service members are free to take the flu vaccine if they believe it is in their best interest, the military will no longer compel them to do so, adding: 'Your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable.'
The US army developed the first flu vaccine during the Second World War amid concerns over a repeat of the 1918 influenza outbreak and its impact on military readiness. Soldiers were used as test subjects for the programme at the University of Michigan, and the vaccine was first licensed for military use in 1945 before becoming available to civilians.
The decision follows previous controversies over vaccine mandates in the US military. During the Covid-19 pandemic, around 8,000 service members were discharged for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine between 2021 and 2022. The Pentagon rescinded the Covid-19 vaccine mandate in September, and former President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating those discharged under that mandate, allowing them to return to service with no impact on their status, rank or pay.
