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.
Jan. 25, 2021 Biden Administration Overturns Transgender Exclusion Policy President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning the previous administration's ban on the service of transgender individuals in the military.