Kathrine Frich
Base leaders are now isolating sick recruits immediately
When large groups of people live and work in close quarters, a single winter bug can quickly turn into a major headache.
Changing the rules on how to protect those groups only adds fuel to the fire. Now, one massive facility is dealing with the immediate fallout of a new health policy.
Battling the bug
A brutal flu outbreak has hit dozens of service members at a massive Texas military base. The surge of sickness at Lackland Air Force Base comes just weeks after military leaders suddenly dropped mandatory vaccination rules.
The New York Times first broke the story, and CBS News confirmed the details. The illness swept through recruits during their basic military training.
An Air Force spokesperson told CBS News, “Over the last three weeks, the 37th Training Wing, in close coordination with the 59th Medical Wing, has been managing a localized influenza outbreak among trainees at Basic Military Training.”
Base leaders are now isolating sick recruits immediately to stop the spread. Medical teams are treating anyone showing symptoms with antiviral drugs like Tamiflu.
Changing the rules
This sudden surge of sickness follows a massive shift in military health policy. Just weeks ago, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth scrapped a health rule that had stood for decades.
In an April video message, Hegseth said the defense department was “seizing this moment to discard any absurd, overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capability.”
Since the mandate ended, only about 40 percent of incoming Air Force recruits have chosen to get the flu shot. Sources confirmed this alarming drop to CBS News.
The drop in protection hits hard at Lackland. The massive Texas hub trains all new enlisted members for the Air Force, Space Force, and National Guard.
Searching for answers
Despite the new relaxed rules, military branches can still force troops to take the shot. They can step in if commanders spot a serious risk.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell explained that exceptions exist. He stated, “The decisions were based upon thorough risk assessments and are designed to maximize operational readiness, lethality, and force generation, while safeguarding at-risk populations.”
He added, “The Department remains committed to the health and readiness of our warfighters and civilian personnel.”
Meanwhile, the base is dealing with an entirely separate tragedy. A young recruit named Keon McDaniel died this week following a severe medical emergency, and officials are still investigating exactly what caused his sudden passing.
Sources: CBS News, The New York Times
