Vaccinations and Public Health

Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth on Monday ended the military's mandatory annual flu vaccine for U.S. troops, saying the decision restores medical autonomy. He signed a memorandum making the influenza vaccine voluntary for Active and Reserve Component service members and Defense Department civilians, effective immediately. Each military service has 15 days to request keeping a mandate, or the requirement ends. The vaccine remains available to service members who want it and was previously one of eight mandatory vaccines for troops, according to the Congressional Research Service.