A significant flu outbreak has sickened almost 160 troops at Lackland Air Drive Base in Texas lower than two months after Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced that U.S. troops would not be required to be vaccinated for the flu, protection officers mentioned.
The outbreak on the base in San Antonio raced via an Air Drive Primary Army Coaching wing, the place new recruits sleep on bunk beds in open bays and share meals at massive communal tables.
A trainee in his sixth week of fundamental coaching died after falling unwell on Friday and being taken to Brooke Military Medical Heart, the Air Drive mentioned in a information launch. It was not instantly clear whether or not the dying of the trainee, Keon McDaniel, was associated to the flu outbreak.
A complete medical evaluate into his dying is underway to find out the trigger, in accordance with the Air Drive.
Within the weeks since Mr. Hegseth’s vaccine coverage took effect on April 21solely about 40 % of Air Drive trainees have opted to take the vaccine, which had beforehand been obligatory, an Air Drive official mentioned.
Within the aftermath of the outbreak, the Air Drive issued an exception to the voluntary vaccine coverage, requiring that each one recruits at Lackland get flu pictures — a part of a broader effort to stem the virus’s unfold.
Mr. Hegseth solid his determination to make the flu vaccine elective as a matter of spiritual freedom and medical autonomy.
“Underneath the disastrous Biden administration, this Pentagon waged an unrelenting battle on our warriors on many fronts, together with when it got here to denying them easy medical autonomy and the liberty to specific their spiritual convictions,” he mentioned in a video asserting his determination in April.
He described the flu vaccine requirement as an “absurd, overreaching” mandate that had served to “weaken our warfighting capabilities.”
On the time, many lawmakers, together with some distinguished Republicans, expressed puzzlement and dismay at Mr. Hegseth’s determination.
“The explanation it was obligatory was to boost readiness,” Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the chairman of the Armed Providers Committee, mentioned shortly after the brand new coverage was introduced.
“You understand, you do quit sure rights if you take the oath,” mentioned Mr. Wicker, who’s an Air Drive veteran. “It’s simply a part of it.”
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, on Thursday defended Mr. Hegseth’s dealing with of the vaccine coverage, saying the modifications have been “based mostly upon thorough danger assessments” designed to maximise the readiness and lethality of the power.
Air Drive officers described the latest flu outbreak as “localized” to the fundamental coaching wing and mentioned that medical personnel have been monitoring and providing antiviral remedy to trainees who have been involved with those that have been unwell.
“As soon as they’re cleared by medical professionals, they are going to return to coaching,” an Air Drive assertion mentioned.
When requested concerning the matter, a White Home spokeswoman referred The New York Occasions to the Pentagon.
The flu outbreak highlights the dangers of Mr. Hegseth’s and the Trump administration’s broader strategy to vaccines and public well being.
Some members of the administration, significantly these concerned in public well being companies, have been vital of vaccinations broadly. Whereas he has changed his tone because the spring, Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a historical past of loudly questioning the protection and effectiveness of many customary vaccines.
Final summer season he rescinded federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that the anti-vaccine motion has falsely linked to autism.
President Trump as soon as championed the Covid vaccine, throughout the preliminary months of the pandemic whereas he was nonetheless president in 2020. However he quickly grew proof against the mandates associated to that vaccine, significantly as his base of supporters questioned its security.
Regardless of his administration’s actions on each the Covid and flu vaccines, Mr. Trump acquired the 2 pictures in October 2025 at Walter Reed Army Medical Heart.
Since taking workplace, Mr. Hegseth has fought to make sure that troops who have been pressured to depart the army for refusing to take the Covid vaccine are in a position to return to service at their former rank with again pay and advantages.
Roughly 8,700 energetic responsibility and reserve troops voluntarily or involuntarily left the army after refusing to get vaccinated earlier than that mandate was rescinded in 2023. As of final summer season, 13 had been reinstated.
In March, Mr. Hegseth prolonged the deadline to use for reinstatement to April 1, 2027.
U.S. army personnel are nonetheless required to get vaccinations for illnesses together with measles, mumps and polio. Others, such because the anthrax vaccine, could also be required relying on danger and army occupation.
In April Mr. Hegseth inspired troops to get the flu vaccine whilst he was asserting the coverage change to make it elective. “We is not going to power you as a result of your physique, your religion and your convictions will not be negotiable,” he mentioned.
