Influenza Outbreak Sickens Over 150 Recruits at Lackland Air Force Base
Quick Look
- Over 150 recruits at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas have fallen ill with influenza, weeks after the defense secretary ended mandatory flu vaccinations for the military.
- Air Force officials have now ordered vaccinations for recruits as a containment measure.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
An influenza outbreak has sickened over 150 recruits at Lackland Air Force Base, weeks after mandatory flu vaccinations for the military were ended. Recruits live in communal settings, making them vulnerable to airborne illness.
An influenza outbreak has reportedly sickened more than 150 recruits in training at Lackland air force base in San Antonio, Texas.
The outbreak comes just weeks after the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, ended mandatory flu vaccination for the military, citing the need for bodily autonomy for servicemembers.
“We’re seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities,” said Hegseth in an April social media video. “In this case that includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it.”
“Your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable,” said Hegseth.
At least 159 recruits have fallen ill, according to the New York Times and ABC News. After Hegseth made influenza shots optional, only about 40% of recruits opted to get vaccinated, air force officials told the New York Times.
About 46% of adults were vaccinated against influenza in the 2025-26 cold season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Lackland is located inside Joint Base San Antonio, a 70,000-member installation sometimes called Military City. Recruits at Lackland live in communal settings, eating together and sleeping in dormitories. Such settings are known to be vulnerable to outbreaks of airborne illness.
It is not clear whether the recent death of a basic military trainee was related to the outbreak. Keon McDaniel died on 16 June after experiencing a “medical emergency”. The cause is under investigation, according to an air force press release.
Air force officials said recruits at Lackland have been ordered to be vaccinated against the flu as part of containment efforts, according to the Times.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon directed the Guardian to the air force press office.
The air force press office did not immediately respond.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Air Force will likely continue mandatory flu vaccinations for recruits to contain the outbreak.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Was the trainee's death related to the outbreak?
- What is the current vaccination rate among recruits?
- What are the long-term implications of this outbreak?
