U.S. Navy reinstates mandatory flu shots for deploying sailors, officer candidates

Published Jul 27, 04:58 PM UTC

The U.S. Navy has reinstated mandatory flu vaccinations for deploying active-duty sailors, officer candidates (including those at Officer Candidate School and the U.S. Naval Academy), and certain civilian staff, effective immediately. The policy, announced via a NAVADMIN on Sunday, reverses a Pentagon-wide mandate removal from April 2025 by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The requirement also applies to Navy Reserve personnel in CBRN response roles, mobilized reservists on Title 10 orders, and healthcare workers. The move follows a June backtrack by the Pentagon after an Air Force basic trainee died and 200 others fell ill in a flu outbreak at a San Antonio boot camp, where only 40% of trainees were vaccinated. Units must ensure compliance by January 15. Exemptions for medical or religious reasons remain available. The policy aims to prevent outbreaks that degrade readiness and disrupt deployments.