Aug. 9, 2021 Austin Seeks Presidential Approval for Mandatory Troop Vaccinations by Mid-September The COVID-19 vaccine will be mandatory for service members by mid-September, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a message to the force.
April 9, 2021 DOD prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations to those deployed Defense Department health leaders said the DOD is rapidly administering COVID-19 vaccines in a tiered priority process to service members, DOD contractors and civilians and their families who are stationed overseas.