Troops deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan were required to get a series of shots against anthrax, but that inoculation was fully approved by the FDA. Nearly one-third of troops have turned down the vaccine, Pentagon officials told lawmakers last month, which has raised concerns. This legacy has, in some cases, left people wary of the medical establishment and new treatments like the COVID vaccine. Kirby said the military will start receiving shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the next week or so. While the military still doesn't require the vaccine for deploying troops, Kirby said it makes it available to them if they want it.
