US Military to Mandate COVID Vaccines by Mid-September

The U.S. military will require service members to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by the middle of September.

In a memo to service members, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would seek President Joe Biden’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September or as soon as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, "whichever comes first.” The memo urges troops to prepare for the requirement and Austin adds, "I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so.” Biden said in a statement Monday that he strongly supports Austin’s message and said, “Being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world.”