The U.S. Department of Defense has canceled mandatory annual influenza vaccination for all military personnel. Soldiers will now be able to decide for themselves whether to get the flu shot.

This was announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said that mandatory vaccination is “too broad a measure” and should be based on personal choice, according to Associated Press.

He stated that health decisions should remain with service members themselves, including their beliefs and personal views.

However, individual branches of the armed forces may still retain vaccination requirements— they have 15 days to submit such requests.

Historically, vaccination in the U.S. military has a long tradition: as early as the 18th century, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox. In more recent history, vaccination policies became especially controversial during the COVID-19 pandemic, when vaccination was mandatory for military personnel. Thousands of service members refused and were either discharged or received exemptions.

In 2023, the COVID-19 vaccine mandate was lifted, and some personnel were later reinstated.

The decision to end mandatory flu vaccination comes during a severe flu season in the United States. At the same time, public health experts continue to recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone over the age of 6 months as the primary method of preventing the disease.