Pentagon moves to require COVID-19 vaccines for all members of the military

By Sanford Nowlin on Mon, Aug 9, 2021 at 4:08 pm

Department of Defense / Fort Hunter Liggett

A military medical staffer holds up a vial of COVID-19 vaccine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III will seek to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all U.S. military service members by mid-September, the New York Times reports, citing a staff memo.

"I want you to know that I will seek the President's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Agency (FDA) licensure, whichever comes first," Austin said in the memo.

The news comes as cases surge again across the United States due to the spread of highly transmissible delta variant. Only 64% of the more than 1.3 million active-duty military members are vaccinated, the Times reports.

San Antonio is home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States, which is staffed by roughly 80,000 personnel.

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