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Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

arstechnica.com

121–130 of 179 posts

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#121
post #22

I have a close friend who is an officer nearing twenty years. He has not had a tendency to criticize his job. However, he has been adamant that vaccines are incredibly important for the military and the policy changes have really angered him, specifically because of the damage it does to readiness.

> specifically because of the damage it does to readiness.

I have habit of watching historical YouTube videos and so many times battles were lost or sieges were broken because one side got sick and could not keep fighting.

Only an ignorant who never studied history would voluntarily remove vaccination from army units.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#122
post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If millions more people are obese than were obese 50 years ago, clearly something has changed systemically that has made people more sedentary and eating more. People 50 years ago were not paying more conscious attention to their health than people today, but the background environment of available food and sedentary jobs/entertainment were different. The personal responsibility model of obesity works for individuals…

What changed 50 years ago is the US government decided saturated fats were bad and complex carbohydrates were good, and began setting policy to rebuild the food supply and culture around that worldview. We're now living in the result of that population-wide experiment.

Nothing has changed. Fat and sugar are appetizing, always have. The free market gave it to all of you by the truckload at the lowest price.

Try to assume your choices instead of blaming "the US government" and telling yourself fairytales.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hot take but we should let reality deal the blow. There's so many things that people think is redundant and unnecessary but actually have an army of people and machination that are working tirelessly to curb it. Only to called bloat and the deep state. Vaccines should not be given automatically, because that causes people to not think about why they need it. They think that it is something is imposed on them. But if…

That seems like the opposite of using intelligence to deal with issues. Throughout history, human civilisations have tried to deal with problems (e.g. droughts, floods, famines etc) by proactively taking measures to increase their chance of survival. Simple things like storing grain to be used during the winter is an effective strategy, whereas letting people starve to death so that they can learn about storing grain…

Also, throughout history, human civilization used to get rid of those who didn't play nice with others. Ostracism was common and there was no recourse.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#124
post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems like the opposite of using intelligence to deal with issues. Throughout history, human civilisations have tried to deal with problems (e.g. droughts, floods, famines etc) by proactively taking measures to increase their chance of survival. Simple things like storing grain to be used during the winter is an effective strategy, whereas letting people starve to death so that they can learn about storing grain…

Also, throughout history, human civilization used to get rid of those who didn't play nice with others. Ostracism was common and there was no recourse.

Indeed - it was far more obvious to people that participating in society was not only desirable but often necessary (except for maybe the hermits). I'd argue that it's even more necessary these days in terms of global agriculture and production, but all the interconnected systems aren't as visible to people who are not involved in those industries.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#126
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If millions more people are obese than were obese 50 years ago, clearly something has changed systemically that has made people more sedentary and eating more. People 50 years ago were not paying more conscious attention to their health than people today, but the background environment of available food and sedentary jobs/entertainment were different. The personal responsibility model of obesity works for individuals…

“Freedom works for me but I want to also control millions of other people, for the good of me and their own good since they don’t know any better”

"Well you need to exercise more and eat more vegetables" is true, but it's only practicable advice if people have access to exercise facilities and healthy food, and the time to make use of them. Otherwise you may as well be blaming fire victims for not being incombustible.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#127
post #49
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The debt would be less painful if the pricks that were responsible for this mess would be billed for the consequences of their poor king-making. We can start with whomever showed up to that inauguration, and expand from there. If they could afford that bribe, they can certainly afford to pay for repairing the damage their golden boy has caused.

And/or if the debt was for something useful. There’s nothing wrong with running up massive low-interest debt if it’s invested in high-return projects. I’ll borrow every cent anyone will lend me at 2% if there’s a 4% savings account handy, and that’s the leverage the US used to enjoy. But just cutting taxes for the rich is not that model. Hopefully sanity prevails and we retroactively declare those tax cuts as loans,…

As we discovered to our cost here in the UK a few years ago, increasing government debt to give tax breaks to the rich doesn't just cause huge economic damage, it also makes it difficult for more responsible governments to borrow for actual investment, however critical.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#128
post #14

> Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that the Pentagon had granted exceptions to Hegseth’s optional flu shot policy to the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency, and the Defense Health Agency. So which ones are still exempt from the vaccines? Space Force, USMC, Coast Guard, who else?

So basically, the "Pentagon" has refused directions from it's "leadership" on the basis that it is not conducive to good military order?

Sounds like we have a leadership issue.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#129

"Under President [Donald J.] Trump, the War Department continues to take decisive action to once again restore freedom and strength to our joint force. We're seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities." - Secretary Hegseth in April 2026 War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

Hegseth - renames "Department of Defense" to "Department of War", fights one war and loses.

Re: Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it was Ebola instead of COVID-19, 1000% guaranteed that all those antivaxxers would have been banging down the doors to get a vaccine, and would have been raging if the government hadn't rushed it out. All their antivax outrage was because they didn't think they personally were going to die from COVID, and didn't want to help save anyone else's life. 2 million dead Americans later and people still complain that th…

> If it was Ebola instead of COVID-19, 1000% guaranteed that all those antivaxxers would have been banging down the doors to get a vaccine, and would have been raging if the government hadn't rushed it out. All their antivax outrage was because they didn't think they personally were going to die from COVID, and didn't want to help save anyone else's life. I think you are largely right, but I dont think they have any…

>I think there would have been better uptake amung republicans if it was presented a optional healthcare choice or suggestion.

Cut to Republicans outraged reaction to Michelle Obama fitness initiatives...

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