US Military Reinstates Some Flu Vaccine Requirements After Texas Training Outbreak

The exception to voluntary policy targets high-risk groups, following more than 220 influenza cases among recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Soldiers of the U.S. Army Rangers perform in combat exercises at Fort Benning, Ga., on April 10, 2026. John Fredricks /The Epoch Times

The U.S. military has approved exceptions that again require flu vaccinations for some service members, coming two months after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a new policy making them voluntary.

More than 220 recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas have been diagnosed with influenza this month, with four having been hospitalized.