Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

MHS Reaches 6 Million Doses of Vaccine Against COVID

Image of Airmen of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, receive COVID-19 immunizations as a part of the federal mandate at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, Oct. 2, 2021. The 139th Medical Group oversees the operation. . An airmen receives a COVID-19 immunizations as a part of the federal mandate at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, Oct. 2, 2021. The 139th Medical Group oversees the operation.

The Military Health System has administered more than 6.1 million doses of vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19.

The milestone comes as MHS service members and beneficiaries have either received all shots necessary for immunization against SARS-CoV-2 or who have had at least one shot of a two-dose regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine (labeled as that or as the brand name Comirnaty), the Moderna two-dose vaccine, or one dose as required for the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.

Vaccinations have been ongoing in the MHS since mid-December.

On Aug. 24, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III mandated that all service members, including Guard and Reserves, be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said Nov. 1 that "as of today, 97% of the active-duty force has had at least one dose. This would include 99% of active-duty sailors, and with active airmen closely behind it, around 97%, and the Marine Corps is at 93% with one dose, and the Army also is in the 90th percentile."

"So, just in terms of first dosage, there's been a lot more progress, and we continue to see the men and women of the force doing the right thing, which is getting vaccinated."

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim said of this milestone: "We are proud that our service members and beneficiaries have taken the opportunity to protect themselves against COVID-19. This is an important step for maintaining operational readiness and making the military community safer for our service members and their families."

You also may be interested in...

Article
Feb 23, 2024

Medical Soldiers Compete in the Medical Readiness Command Europe 2024 Best Leader Competition

The 2nd Place of the 2024 Medical Readiness Command, Europe Best Leader Competition, held Feb 6-9 at Baumholder Training Area, Germany, are pictured with U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud, commander of Medical Readiness Command, Europe. The grueling four-day competition was rigorous, relevant, and realistic. Activities included a physical fitness assessment, M4 and M17 weapons zero and qualification, and a 12-mile foot march. (Photo by Kirk Frady)

More than 30 medical soldiers from across Europe competed in the 2024 Medical Readiness Command, Europe Best Leader competition, Feb. 6-9, at Baumholder Training Area in Germany. Teams from each of Medical Readiness Command, Europe’s four direct reporting units competed for a chance to represent the command at the 2024 U.S. Army Medical Command Best ...

Article
Feb 20, 2024

Forward Deployable Preventative Medical Unit Enhances Combat Effectiveness with Comprehensive Weapons and Threat Recognition Training

Forward Deployable Preventative Medical Unit Six member trains in weapons proficiency during a specialized course designed to enhance readiness for diverse deployments on Feb. 8, 2024. The training was tailored for the unit’s unique mission to ensure service members are prepared for their upcoming deployments. (U.S. Navy photo by Desmond Martin)

The Forward Deployable Preventative Medical Unit participated in a first-ever weapons and threat recognition training course, specifically designed and tailored for the unit’s unique mission. FDPMU’s are rapidly deployable and mobile units that support force health protection around the globe.

Topic
Sep 26, 2024

Health Readiness & Combat Support

The Defense Health Agency provides support for operating forces engaged in planning for, or conducting, military operations, including support during conflict or in the conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.S. national security. Among DHA’s most important combat support responsibilities is its work to increase ...

Article
Jan 19, 2024

Military Health System Stabilization: Rebuilding Health Care Access is ‘Critical to the Wellbeing of our Patients’

U.S. Army Col. (Dr.) Frank Valentin, chief of ophthalmology, checks a patient for double vision and convergence at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Recruiting qualified health care providers across the MHS is the first step in the stabilization of MHS, aligning with the MHS Strategy.  (U.S. Army photo by Jason W. Edwards)

On Dec. 6, 2023, the Deputy Secretary of Defense signed a memo directing the stabilization of the MHS, adding the capacity to reattract beneficiaries, improve access to care in military hospitals and clinics, and increase opportunities to sustain military clinical readiness for our medical forces.

Article
Jan 12, 2024

What Care at Sea Looks Like

U.S. Navy Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Louis Mountain receives his flu shot from U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Stevie Shavers, from Ravenswood, W.Va., aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, on Oct. 27, 2023. A ship’s medical department is vital to keeping the entire crew healthy and safe during deployments. (Photo by U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jahred Johnson)

A ship’s medical department is a complicated, interwoven group of people with different responsibilities dedicated to the health and well-being of the crew. Ranging from the ship’s nurse to the enlisted corpsman, everyone has a purpose and a mission to complete.

Article
Nov 8, 2023

Military Health System Leaders Discuss Support, Future Initiatives During AUSA Family Forum Panel

Military Health System Leaders Discuss Support, Future Initiatives During AUSA Family Forum Panel

“Our mission is improving health and building readiness and I put it in that order, because we are responsible for improving the health of all 9.5 million beneficiaries, families, retirees, their families service members,” said .U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, the director of the Defense Health Agency.. “When we do that, we will build readiness ...

Fact Sheet
Nov 6, 2023

Warfighter Brain Health After TBI: Guidance for Leaders

.PDF | 895.85 KB

This TBICoE fact sheet, Warfighter Brain Health After TBI: Guidance for Leaders, condenses the basics of recognizing, reporting, and preventing TBI in service members. It updates and supersedes the Line Leader Policy Guidance fact sheet and includes a list of what the DOD has defined as potentially concussive events and outlines leaders’ ...

Article
Sep 15, 2023

Health Affairs Secretary Visits San Diego Facilities Discusses Importance of Readiness Quality Health Care

SAN DIEGO (Sept. 14, 2023) Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, is briefed on Naval Medical Center San Diego's (NMCSD) Bioskills and Simulation Training Center's (BSTC) capabilities by Capt. Cory Gaconnet, BSTC department head. The BSTC offers medical students, nurses, interns, residents and hospital clinical staff the opportunity to train in a virtual patient care environment using simulated patients and sophisticated technology. The center contains overhead cameras that tape the medical team's actions, so leaders can provide feedback after the simulated training. The BSTC plays a key role in maintaining patient safety and ensuring the operational readiness of all hospital staff. The mission of NMCSD is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality health care services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active-duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.  (Photo: Marcelo Calero)

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, visited the Defense Health Agency’s San Diego Market from Sept. 13-14, touring research and medical facilities and meeting with staff to discuss the unique challenges facing Southern California’s medical treatment facilities.

Article
Aug 28, 2023

Army Reserve-led Mountain Medic Soars to New Heights

U.S. Army Reserve critical care flight paramedics from 5-159th General Support Aviation Battalion, 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, Army Reserve Aviation Command, guide U.S, Air Force Reserve medical personnel from the 302nd Airlift Wing in offloading a casualty from a HH-60 MEDEVAC Black Hawk during exercise Mountain Medic at Fort Carson, Colorado, on Aug. 14, 2023. Mountain Medic is an Army Reserve-led joint, multi-component, multi-domain aeromedical evacuation exercise geared at improving and reenforcing medical evacuation operations in a simulated large-scale combat operations environment. (U.S. Army Reserve Photo by Master Sgt. Joy Dulen)

The third iteration of the fast-paced joint operation known as Mountain Medic 2023 was conducted in August 2023. Against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, the exercise aimed at improving and reinforcing medical evacuation operations and skill sets while pushing its medics, pilots, and aircrews nonstop in austere environments set for large-scale ...

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: July 11, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery