Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the U.S. military's 70-year mandatory flu vaccination requirement on April 21, 2026, citing medical autonomy and religious freedom. The post accurately reports the policy change and Hegseth's stated rationale, which are confirmed across AP, Reuters, NBC, and multiple other outlets. However, the post frames the consequences dramatically—myocarditis from flu is a real but uncommon complication, and the historical Washington/smallpox comparison, while factually grounded, oversimplifies the causal chain to military outcomes. The core policy fact is solid; the medical risk assessment needs more nuance.