SAN ANTONIO – Two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth changed the flu vaccine policy from mandatory to optional for U.S. service members, a flu outbreak has spread amongst hundreds of recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
Hegseth described the previous mandatory policy as “not rational.”
“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,” Hegseth said. “You should, but we will not force you.”
During a June 30 news conference in Washington D.C., three members of Congress — including San Antonio-area Congressman Joaquin Castro — said the outbreak has swelled to 284 confirmed cases and four hospitalizations.
“I’m demanding an investigation into his (McDaniel’s) death in connection to the flu outbreak,” Castro (D-San Antonio) said at the news conference.
According to Castro, the U.S. Air Force confirmed the flu-related death of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland trainee Keon McDaniel at Brooke Army Medical Center.
In a June 17 news release from the U.S. Air Force, McDaniel, a trainee with the 737th Training Support Squadron, died June 16.
The Air Force said McDaniel was in his sixth week of Basic Military Training on June 12 when he experienced a “medical emergency” and was subsequently transported to Brooke Army Medical Center for treatment. McDaniel died at the hospital four days later.
Here’s what we know about the flu outbreak lawmakers are connecting to McDaniel’s death.
First report of the outbreak
According to a June 18 report from ABC News, at least 159 recruits tested positive for the flu and caused two hospitalizations. At the time, one of ABC News’ sources suggested the actual number of cases and hospitalizations could be higher.
Since the vaccine mandate was lifted, the flu vaccination rate among recruits at JBSA-Lackland has dropped to roughly 40%, down from nearly 100%, ABC News sources said.
The Pentagon has since granted exceptions to the new policy for several branches and agencies. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told ABC News that exceptions were approved for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency and Defense Health Agency.
A climb in cases
According to CNN, the vaccine mandate for Air Force recruits was restored on June 11. Within weeks, unvaccinated trainees at JBSA-Lackland received the flu shot.
However, in a June 24 news release, Castro reported the number of flu cases had climbed to 275.
Six days later, Castro, who was joined by fellow U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania) and U.S. Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-California), called on Hegseth to “reinstate the flu vaccine requirement for all service members” after he said 284 flu cases were confirmed at the base.
“As a veteran, and as the ranking member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I know that military readiness is built on discipline, professionalism and on leaders who make decisions based on evidence and not ideology,” Houlahan, a former U.S. Air Force officer, said. “Readiness begins and ends with healthy troops. That’s why what is happening in Lackland is so deeply disturbing and troubling.”
“In my previous role at the Department of Defense, I oversaw the Defense Health Agency. I know firsthand why we kept these requirements,” Cisneros, a U.S. Navy veteran who is also on the Military Personnel Subcommittee, said. “Health care is part of readiness. Vaccines are part of readiness.”
The three members of Congress also introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would require all service members to get vaccinated for the flu.
“What’s absurd about keeping those who serve our nation safe?” Castro asked rhetorically. “No president or secretary should be able to play politics and put the health of our troops at risk.”
In an interview with KSAT on June 30, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones noted that recruits who have “fallen ill” can also come into contact with civilians on base.
“It’s unfortunate, because again, this is completely preventable,” Jones told KSAT. “I mean, that’s in fact why you have the vaccine.”
Jones, who previously served as Under Secretary of the Air Force, emphasized the impact on military readiness.
“I know how important it is to keep that timeline and that pipeline moving, and so, this unnecessary — and unfortunately — kind of politicization of public health, has yielded this negative impact on our readiness," Jones said.
More recent coverage of this story on KSAT: