"The reversal appears to underlie a series of exemptions issued by the Pentagon to Hegseth’s recent announcement that flu vaccines are voluntary for all troops. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that exemptions to the order had been issued to all four services. How those exemptions would be implemented was unclear, but ABC News first reported on Tuesday that basic trainees would now again be required to get flu shots.
A Navy official confirmed to Task & Purpose on Wednesday that the service requires the flu vaccine for boot camp...
The move comes after an Air Force basic trainee died of flu-like symptoms on June 16 and after a U.S. Congressman said that over 200 basic trainees were sick at the service’s San Antonio, Texas boot camp. The New York Times and ABC News both reported that only 40% of trainees at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas had received the flu vaccine since it had become optional under Hegseth’s order."
