Flu season just turned into a political stress test at a major Air Force training hub. Almost 160 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas have fallen ill in a fast-moving flu outbreak that hit not even two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the military's long-standing requirement that service members receive an annual flu shot, reports the New York Times. A source tells ABC News that number may be even higher. Since Hegseth's April 21 policy shift, only about 40% of Air Force trainees have opted to be vaccinated, according to an Air Force official. The service has now carved out an exception, however, ordering all Lackland recruits to get flu shots to help contain the virus in crowded barracks and dining halls.
The Air Force hasn't indicated whether those who fell sick had been vaccinated, per the Washington Post. Hegseth has framed the move to voluntary vaccination as a win for "medical autonomy" and religious liberty, noting at the time of the policy shift: "Your body, your faith, and your convictions are not negotiable," per the Times. His stance drew criticism from lawmakers who argued the mandate was about combat readiness.
Pentagon officials maintain that the revised policy was based on risk assessments. Medical teams at Lackland are now treating sick trainees, clearing them to resume training once they recover. A trainee in his sixth week of basic training, Keon McDaniel, died after becoming sick on Friday; officials say it's not yet clear whether his death is tied to the outbreak, and a full medical review is underway.
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