Hegseth says flu vaccines are now optional across the active duty and reserve force

Flu vaccines are no longer mandatory for service members, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday morning, framing the new policy as part of his bid to “discard any absurd, overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities.”

A memo for senior Pentagon leadership and the combatant commands on the updated guidance, dated to Monday, was shared across popular military forums and social media accounts hours before Hegseth announced the new policy on X.

The memo says the annual influenza vaccine is voluntary for all active duty and reserve service members, as well as civilian personnel. The services can submit requests for exceptions to the new policy over the next 15 days to Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata. 

“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,” Hegseth said in a video address. “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 because your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable.”

The new policy would update DoD Instruction 6205.02, which covers the Department of Defense Immunization Program.

The instruction previously required active component troops to receive the annual seasonal influenza immunization or obtain a medical or administrative exemption. Reserve component troops activated for 30 consecutive days or more were also required to receive the seasonal influenza immunization or obtain an exemption. Defense Department civilian employees were highly encouraged to receive the annual seasonal influenza vaccine, the instruction stated.

The DoD last updated its Immunization Program policy in June 2025 to allow for more exemptions, a modification that came as the Trump administration proposed other controversial adjustments to vaccination guidance across the government.

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