The Pentagon will announce Monday that all US troops in all branches of military service will be required to be vaccinated by September 15th or sooner, depending on the date the Food and Drug Administration clears the vaccines for general use, the Associated Press reports.

“I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon” licensure by the Food and Drug Administration “whichever comes first,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says in the memo to troops, warning them to prepare for the requirement. “I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so.”

The FDA is expected to give final approval to the vaccines in the coming weeks, far ahead of the typical drug approval process which can take years.  Relatively few cases of adverse reaction to the vaccines have been documented after more than 160 million Americans are fully vaccinated and approximately 30 million have received one of two required shots. 

Making the vaccine mandatory in the military will cause some angst among Trump-supporting cells within the military; however, the military already mandates for its members no fewer than a dozen other vaccines, including those for measles, mumps and chickenpox.  Additionally, depending on duty assignment, members may be required to take vaccines for anthrax, hepatitis and meningitis.