Whoops! Military Reverses Course On Flu Vaccine Requirements After Soldiers Got Sick

When we talk about the scourge of anti-vaxxer philosophy within the federal government, we naturally spend a great deal of that time talking about RFK Jr. He’s the Secretary of Health and Human Services and perhaps the most infamous anti-vaxxer on the planet, after all. But if you thought HHS was the only part of the government infected with this dangerous unscientific nonsense, you’d be wrong.

In April of this year, Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Whatever-We’re-Calling-It-Today, rescinded a requirement for America’s fighting forces to be inoculated against influenza. Why? Well, because it just wasn’t necessary, you see. Also, freedom. Probably bald eagles. Perhaps apple pie and baseball are involved. It’s really anyone’s guess these days. Hegseth stated the following publicly on his decision:

“The notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member, everywhere, in every circumstance, at all times, is just overly broad and not rational,” the secretary said. “Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should. But we will not force you.”

“Our men and women in uniform were forced to choose between their conscience and their country, even when those decisions posed no threat to our military readiness,” Hegseth said. “That era of betrayal is over. Under President [Donald J.] Trump, the War Department continues to take decisive action to once again restore freedom and strength to our joint force. We’re seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities.

So, to summarize, the requirement that soldiers be vaccinated against influenza was as follows:

1. Broad and irrational
2. A betrayal
3. An absurd and overreaching mandate
4. Weakened our fighting forces
5. Would be ended and soldiers would no longer be forced to be vaccinated

I assume that analysis still holds, other than the last, now that the military is once again mandating the flu vaccine for its soldiers because, and this will shock you, a bunch of soldiers got sick.

The Army, Navy, and Air Force are once again requiring basic trainees to get vaccinated against influenza after the virus quickly swept through an Air Force base in Texas, sickening at least 222 recruits and hospitalizing four. Last week, news broke of a flu outbreak sweeping through Lackland Air Force Base, part of Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. Two unnamed sources told ABC News that the situation at the base has been worsening.

In addition to the 222 cases and four hospitalizations reported as of Tuesday, one recruit, Keon McDaniel, died. McDaniel was in his sixth week of basic training and suffered a medical emergency on June 12. It’s unclear if his death was related to the outbreak.

ABC News reported that sources think only about 40 percent of the new Air Force trainees at the base were vaccinated and that the outbreak began in early June.

So, according to Hegseth himself mere months ago, sixty percent of the new Air Force trainees at the base are going to be subject to a broad, irrational, absurd, freedom-stealing betrayal mandate to get the flu vaccine? Cool.

It’s absolutely incredible just how shallow the anti-vaxxer mentality can be. Freedom, I am told, is worth fighting and dying for. If a flu vaccine mandate is anti-freedom, why are we letting some illnesses and potential deaths cause us to take actions that are anti-freedom?

The answer is because it isn’t about freedom at all. It’s about placating the dumbest corners of our society just because they happen to be a voting bloc aligned with Donald Trump, a man not exactly known for his incredible good health and fitness.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that the Pentagon had granted exceptions to Hegseth’s optional flu shot policy to the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency, and the Defense Health Agency. The exceptions came after a “comprehensive review” and are in line with a standard policy of “adapting force health protection measures to critical operational realities.”

“The decisions were based upon thorough risk assessments and are designed to maximize operational readiness, lethality, and force generation, while safeguarding at-risk populations,” Parnell said.

And that’s any different than the situation three months ago, exactly?

It’s not different at all, of course. Pete Hegseth directly, and of his own accord, managed to get hundreds of soldiers sick, at a minimum. He reduced our war-fighting readiness as a result. And he reversed course the moment the inevitable outcome reared its ugly, feverish, coughing head.

Vaccine mandates are bad when its politically advantageous to say they are, but good when you’re in charge and need to prepare for an invasion of Cuba, or who knows where else.

Filed Under: air force, anti-vaxxers, flu, flu vaccine, pete hegseth, vaccines