American service members will no longer be required to get a yearly flu shot under a new Defense Department policy described by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as an effort to “restore freedom and strength to our joint force.”In a video posted on X, the Pentagon boss cited the Biden administration's Covid-19 policies as the impetus for ditching the unrelated but mandatory influenza inoculation, accusing his predecessors of having “waged an unrelenting war on our warriors on many fronts, including when it came to denying them simple medical autonomy and the freedom to express their religious convictions.”Calling the Covid-19 vaccine mandate part of an “era of betrayal” that was now “over,” Hegseth said the Pentagon was discarding “absurd, overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities,” such as “the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it.”“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,” he said.Hegseth emphasized that the Pentagon’s new policy was “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,” he said.The defense secretary conceded that service members “should” receive the flu vaccine but said the Pentagon would not “force” them to do so because matters of health and conscience are “not negotiable.”“It's the kind of common sense approach we're undertaking in this department,” he insisted.>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/military-flu-vaccine-requirement-hegseth-b2961944.html
>>1507729 (Cont)Despite Hegseth’s characterization of the flu vaccine requirement as an “absurd” mandate that violates service members’ rights, the military has a long history of requiring vaccinations dating back to 1777, when General George Washington ordered all Continental Army soldiers and new recruits to be inoculated against Smallpox.While Smallpox was declared eradicated in May 1980, the Pentagon renewed a Smallpox vaccine mandate for personnel deployed to high-threat areas and in certain high-priority units due to the threat of bioterrorism.Although influenza is usually not considered in the same degree of danger as smallpox once was, it has had deadly effects on U.S. combat effectiveness in wars past.During World War I, the 1918 influenza pandemic brought down roughly 45,000 American soldiers — a number equalling almost half of the 117,000 service members who died during that conflict which was almost as many as the 53,402 who died in actual combat.The vaccine mandates given to service members by the Pentagon were largely uncontroversial until the Biden administration, when conservative activists began casting them as overreach and Democratic-led infringements on religious freedom.Since the start of the Trump administration in 2025, administration officials have worked to undermine longstanding federal vaccine policies under the guise of what officials call the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement.OTHER SOURCES:>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-announces-end-military-flu-vaccine-requirement>https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/21/military-flu-vaccine-hegseth/>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/21/flu-vaccine-requirement-discarded-effective-immediately-hegseth-says/
>>1507729So, is it opt out now? Are they still offering the vaccine and service personnel can choose to not take it?
>>1507732It's voluntary.
>>1507729I like how he says this is a "common sense approach" meanwhile common sense says soldiers who intentionally leave themselves vulnerable to a very common and very debilitating disease shouldn't be anywhere near the front lines.
>>1507729Biowarfare.Hey Kegsbreath, a military can't fight when it's sick>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 rationalSays that afflicted with the illness that is alcoholism. A mental illness too.The duality of the hypocrite.
>>1507733So it’s opt in, like you’ll have to tell ask the doctor? Vaccination rates will plummet if the personnel have to remember to ask for it
>>1507735Its the same pack of retards who want to re-institute the draft, then turn around and say things like >the Pentagon would not “force” them to do so because matters of health and conscience are “not negotiable.”
>>1507740Seems like it. Main gist is they aren't going to need you to get it before you can deploy/properly enlist.
>>1507729Flu is just a cold. I don’t know anyone who ever got sick from the flu. Thank you RFK, I will stick to raccoon penis and roadkill
>restore freedom and strengthYou know, fascists would be slightly less obnoxious if they weren't also historical revisionists.Then again if they were remotely aware of actual history, they wouldn't be fascists.
>>1507751That's just conservatism, which fascism is based off of, in a nutshell.
>>1507729Hegseth is what happens when you let a /pol/ user handle the military.Just do a bunch of dumb shit and change policy for no reason because woke bad, freedumbs good always
>>1507748>I don’t know anyone who ever got sick from the flu.U win the Darwin Award for today.Keep up the good work helping keep the genetic pool cleaner. (If you're 14 years old, please excuse my insult)what could possibly go wrong when you've got hundreds of people crammed onto an aircraft carrier together for 7 months? Dr. Jesus "Tarantino" Christ knows how to pray away them bad bugs(and 60% alcohol is pretty good too)
>>1507729>In one enlistment I was forced to take pages of immunizations for shit that doesn't do anything to help me, like the anthrax vaccine that doesn't protect you from anthrax>new members get to decide what shots they takeAin't this a bitch...
>>1507783We're going to see people get killed because the people deployed with them got sick of something they could've easily prevented. You were the lucky one.
At the rate trump and hengseth are degrading the US military to be Russia teir. we're going to start seeing them leave troops for dead in the field in order to refuse to pay their families benefits. Or worse, bring meat cube tech to America when trump starts a land invasion of Iran out of desperation since he's losing his war.
>>1507793at what point does a secret serviceman take one for the team
>>1507729Spanish Flu 2.0 time? It was spread all over the globe by soldiers coming back from WW1 and the earliest outbreaks in many countries, including the US, were in military camps. It's not like US soldiers are going to any exotic foreign locales with exotic foreign flus or anything.
>>1507748Flus and colds aren’t the same thing
>>1507793In Russian military you are either forced to take the immunisation or you are forced to pay officers for your own immunisation
>>1507802Best solution is to ban US citizens from entering your country. Bunch of disease riddled people the Americans
>>1507735You're still upset that mask mandates were removed
>>1507852Please explain to me how it is in the military's best interests that soldiers can just leave themselves vulnerable to disease if they want to, potentially spreading it to the rest of their squad and/or base.
>>1507806So America is actually worse than Russia now in that regard? Putin must be pleased at the damage his puppet, trump, has done.
First meals, now healthcare.At this rate, there might be some sort of military mutiny.
>>1507729>disassemble every good choice we’ve madeit’s such a shame that we’ve arrived here
>>1507729Did you know that the first medical mandate in US history was enacted by George Washington in 1777 when he ordered the Continental Army inoculated against smallpox? And now, centuries latter, here we are, doing the exact opposite in the name of freedom and strength. How fucking far we have fallen.
>>1507922>>1507927>nooo you cant just let adults make their own decisions! noooo!
>>1507932It’s the fucking military, retard.
>>1507932Yeah they decided to join the military. That should mean anything that would jeopardize the unit, like say SPREADING A DISEASE, is fucking forfeit.
>>1507932Uncle Sam owns those bucks. Any decision they're allowed to make while in the military is on sufferance.
>>1507932>Just ignore your orders.I'll remember you say that when troops openly disobey trump when he stages another coup or we have soldiers brave enough to ignore his illegal, war crime orders.
>>1507938>>1507940>>1508001>Oh noooo not the hekking flu-rino. Truly the collapse of the republic
>>1508004>ignore ordersYou're complaining about the orders being that flue shots are voluntary.
>>1508012you're literally esl
>>1508015I could be speaking English as an 8th language and that wouldn't change the fact that what you said was absolutely, totally, irredeemably, RETARDED
>>1507729I guess were going to have to learn why armies have made efforts to innoculate their soldiers for thousands of years.
>>1508023>OMG THE FUCKING FLUE. TRULY THE WEST HAS FALLEN.
>>1508026Nigga this is the flu, not COVID. It actually kills people by the thousands every year, or at the very least gets you quite sick, it spreads like a motherfucker and mutates which is why you can get it every year. It might not kill every single one of our soldiers, but its easy as shit for diseases to spread in barracks and trenches; and having most of our soldiers sick going against an enemy that isnt because they just gave theirs the shot is just being stupid.
>>1508007>>1508026>it's just the flu!You're really demonstrating how you have no fucking idea what you're talking about.
>>1508023The influenza vaccine doesn't do shit a lot of the time.>requiredIt's a choice now for a minor vaccine.Why does this scare the freedom-loving individualistic liberal?Oh, yeah they aren't liberal anymore, they're liggeral. I forgot.
>>1508060When you say it’s a choice are you implying that when a soldier goes for his medical checkup the doctor is going to offer him the flu vaccine?…or will soldiers have to apply for the vaccine, or go source their own, or what?
>>1507861Well, I don’t know for sure what they’re doing in the Russian military with regards to vaccinations
That's funny because my dad had to get the swine flu jab back arouns 1980 or so. They came out with a vaccine but it killed about a dozen old people, so they made a new vax and tested it out on the military. He said that technically he "volunteered", but of course that was bullshit.Luckily, no one died testing it so they got it right that time. Yeah, you can't test new drugs on prisoners, but you can test them on servicemen.
>>1508074I don't set the policy. Did they provide it previously or simply require it?
>>1508086I don’t know. I’d assume it was just provided with the usual medical check. What I’d like to know is if when the soldier goes for his medical will the doctor have the vaccine ready and ask him if he wants it, or will the soldier have to apply for the vaccine first and then the doctor will have it waiting for him, or will soldiers have to source their own vaccines, or something else? It’s really a logistics issue more than anything. I think the easiest way to do it was everyone gets the vaccine unless they’ve previously stated otherwise, probably best done at intake, so supply doesn’t order too many and everyone who wants it gets it without having to do anything. I’m not American btw, and haven’t served in or with US forces so I’m not familiar with how they do things but they do seem to not be clear with these kinds of matters which are obviously important to some of them
>>1507729It's only relatively recently that disease stopped being the biggest killer in the warzone. Retards like this guy have no idea just how bad things were back then.
>>1508012>ensuring you get sick and put other men in your unit at risk by refusing to get vaccines. Okay.>But you must bomb the school full of schoolgirlsNah, you can't have it both ways.
>>1508026>Literally killed almost as many serviceman as active combat did in WW1
>>1508077They serve our country and risk their lives so we may live. Diseases are as formidable an enemy as any human army, and defeating them is far less morally grey.
US military doesn't need more help losing wars, it needs more help winning wars.
Military soldiers are young, physically fit, well fed and healthy. They're the most disease resistant population. I don't care much for the statistics of wars that predate nutrition and hygiene.
>>1508093The west has had it too comfy for too long. Time for people to know what it was like to live before modern medicines.
>>1507799Hopefully the next time we get a Bidenesque president.
>>1508087I don't know. However no one under 50 fit for active duty should need a flu vaccine as there's near zero mortality for health adults.There's no real whatabouts you can throw at this as the military should, ideally, be composed of 99% health individuals with the odd doddering, old officer.
>>1508385>However no one under 50 fit for active duty should need a flu vaccineI don't want my tax dollars going to people lying sick in bed. If you can't serve the country full time, you shouldn't be in the fucking military and the unvaccinated can't serve the country full time.
>>1508403Nice horseshit, queer.
>>1508385It’s not really about mortality rates though, more about being combat ready
>>1508411>3-14 days depending on the person and the strain.Not to hate on the military, but the majority of their job is standing around and doing busy work.We can afford to give troops sick leave.
>>1508424>but the majority of their job is standing around and doing busy work.There's a difference between being able to move and not needing to, and needing to move and being unable to.
>>1508433Big huh? >Flu vaccine 36% to 56% effectiveAre you a betting man, son?
>>1508441As opposed to no vaccine, with a 0% effectiveness.I'd rather my troops have some chance of not getting sick as opposed to 0.
>>1508443>I'd rather my troops have some chance of not getting sick as opposed to 0.>5-20% of people get the flu each yearSeems like standard immune system is up to 95% effective. WOW! Did you know you didn't need a subscription to immunity? Interesting!!>0This is only true of HIV infected individuals. I said the military should consist of 99% healthy individuals.
>>1508444>This is only true of HIV infected individuals. I said the military should consist of 99% healthy individuals.and to expand on this, even if the US army allow gay HIV fags in, they can still get the flu vaccine if they choose to.BRILLIANT!Also, this is yet another complaint you don't own or care about. Your'e using it as a "Gotcha gRumpf!!" moment.
>>1508448Your opinion of the army is worthless. The soldiers opinion of the vaccine is worthless. The army makes a decision, and the soldiers obey. If soldiers don't want to obey, they can get kicked out. Simple as
>>1508451>The army makes a decision, and the soldiers obey.Yes and that's what's happening here.However, I've read your, notably worthless, opinion.
>>1508444>Uh well basically no one gets the flu and basically a lot of the people who get the flu are fine so basically they don't even need the vaccine!>Please ignore how the whole reason this was a required vaccination in the first place was because the flu alone killed almost as many soldiers as active combat in ww1 and to this day remains a top killer in wartime environments.
>>1508455>WWISay there, olde tymer, I do believe the times have changed.And speaking of time, it's time to go fuck yourself.
>>1508454Nah, this is a drunkard enacting his conspiracy theories and justifying it by tricking retards like you to believe its because freedom
>>1508460>The army makes a decision, and the soldiers obey.No this is literally what will happen.
>>1508477>ha lib, we win because soldiers won't have to take vaccines for 2 yearsyep, take a lap
>>1508459>I do believe the times have changed.Yeah we have vaccines to prevent this from happening- oh wait.
>>1508483I mean yeah that makes sense if you didn't know shit about biology and the influenza virus.
>>1508516>no no the vaccine had nothing to do with it>we just have like, a secret other way of lowering flu casualties and the vaccine is just for show
>>1508483Flue only really affects the eldery and young. Herd immunity is a thing and the military, being composed largely a prime-age healthy males, is not very susceptible to it. I haven't had a flue jab in years and I cant recall the last time I got it, I cant even remember the last time someone I know got it. This really isnt a big deal.
>>1508519No the vaccine did not have anything to do with it. Maybe study just a bit, then come back.The vaccination rate is about 15% with the vast majority being in the demographic when it has major benefits, 65+.Flu vaccination has never been massive in the US yet we survive with it 95% effective immune systems. Interesting.
>>1508530>The vaccination rate is about 15% with the vast majority being in the demographic when it has major benefits, 65+.Up until, let's see here, two days ago, the vaccination rate in the military was damn near 100%.
>>1508530>Flu vaccination has never been massive in the US yet we survive with it 95% effective immune systems. Interesting.We survive it because we're not actively deployed in the middle of a warzone you retard. Keep arguing why people in the military should be allowed to jeopardize their unit by leaving themselves vulnerable.
>>1508533The flu vaccine is tailored to the expected strain in a particular locale expected to arise.
>>1508537Intersting to note, there have been years when the vaccine for influenza was 0% effective because they made it for the incoorect strain.It's uncommon, but it happens.Additionally the flu is becoming less deadly to humans as it mutates. So, the anon citing WWI should probably be crushed with a large stone or something.
>>1508563every one of your shill posts is 0% effective, it's very common and it happens every day
>>1508563It’s never 0% you retard. You don’t understand what the mutations actually are
Didn't the flu vaccine cause the flu?Didn't need it.
>>1508590That's how vaccines work, anon. You get a tiny, weak dose of whatever illness which triggers your body to create antibodies for it.
>>1508424>We can afford to give troops sick leave.First, "we"Second, we're at war and you want to intentionally sabotage the US military by allow them to get sick from preventable disease.Sounds like aid and comfort to the enemy talk.
