DAYTON, Ohio — Wright Patterson Air Force Base announced plans Monday to implement COVID-19 mandates for all active-duty airmen, guardians, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel.

What You Need To Know

  • WPAFB announced plans for mandatory vaccinations for military personnel on Monday

  • All active-duty airmen and guardians must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus by Nov. 2

  • Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel must be fully vaccinated by Dec. 2

  • WPAFB officials said military personnel can opt-out due to an exemption or religious accommodation

According to a press release issued by the base, all active-duty airmen and guardians must be fully vaccinated against the virus by Nov. 2. Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel must be fully vaccinated by Dec. 2.

Service members will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose in a two-shot series or two weeks after receiving a one-dose vaccine, officials said.

WPAFB officials said personnel must meet the deadline or opt-out due to an exemption or religious accommodation. 

Vaccinations will help ensure the health and safety of personnel while also preserving readiness and the ability to execute missions, officials said.

"We are taking an aggressive approach to protect our service members, their families and their communities from COVID-19 and the highly transmissible delta variant,” said Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones in a written statement. “As members of the nation’s armed forces, our Airmen and Guardians must be able to respond to situations around the globe — being fully vaccinated will help us safely meet the readiness requirements that our national security depends on.”

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall directed the COVID-19 vaccine guidelines in a Sept. 3 memorandum, according to the press release.

Mandatory vaccination through a military provider will initially only include the Pfizer vaccine, which is currently the only fully approved COVID-19 vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration, officials said.

However, airmen and guardians can obtain other COVID-19 vaccines approved under emergency-use authorization, including Moderna, Janssen and AstraZeneca, from both military and civilian providers.

To meet the Nov. 2 deadline, airmen and guardians must receive the first dose no later than Sept. 28. The second shot is required by Oct. 19, officials said.

Walk-in services for active-duty vaccinations began Sept. 8 in Wright-Patterson Medical Center’s auditorium.

For more information about the mandate, click here.

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