Hegseth ends mandatory flu vaccine for service members

The Pentagon is ending mandatory flu vaccines for service members, phrasing the change as giving troops “medical autonomy” and “freedom to express their religious convictions,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday.

“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’re free to take it. You should. But we will not force you. Because your body, your faith are not negotiable,” Hegseth said in a video message posted to social media.

He called the flu shot requirement part of “absurd, overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities.” 

“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........

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