The defense secretary broke with public health directives when he made the flu vaccine optional for all U.S. military personnel, both active and reserve, in April. The Pentagon appears to be walking back its voluntary flu vaccine policy, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implemented this spring, after a flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas reportedly impacted at least 222 recruits. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed to The Independent Tuesday that exceptions to Hegseth’