Hegseth Launches Review of Military COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has launched a comprehensive review of the 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate and the subsequent dismissal of more than 8,400 service members. The initiative involves two separate tracks: an independent After-Action Review conducted by the National Academy of Public Administration and an internal panel of military and civilian employees convened by Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata.

Both reviews will examine the planning and execution of the mandate from January 2020 through January 2023. This effort follows a January 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump that allowed discharged vaccine-refusers to rejoin the military. The administration aims to prioritize the reinstatement of impacted personnel and establish safeguards to prevent future mandates. Hegseth has pledged to declassify related materials and publish the findings by February 2027.

The move comes amid controversy regarding other vaccine policies. In April 2026, Hegseth canceled the mandatory flu vaccine program. Democratic lawmakers criticized the decision after a flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base sickened 285 airmen and resulted in the death of recruit Keon McDaniel.