Vaccines and Bloodwork

[ItsVik117]

So I got 3 vaccines today as I was behind according to the 2026 Appointtee Handbook Vaccine requirements. My whole life I've been on track for all my requirements, but since the Handbook stated I needed some, I got some. Now my doctor said that the Academy will give extra jabs for the non-standard vaccines. I'm wondering if that is true. I understand stuff like the Flu since it's seasonal, but I already have my standard stuff like polio, TDap, Meningitis, etc.

Also, will the Academy do bloodwork to test for mumps and stuff like that I am wondering if I should do it beforehand or wait till BCT and have the Academy do it?

 

[OldRetSWO]

So I got 3 vaccines today as I was behind according to the 2026 Appointtee Handbook Vaccine requirements. My whole life I've been on track for all my requirements, but since the Handbook stated I needed some, I got some. Now my doctor said that the Academy will give extra jabs for the non-standard vaccines. I'm wondering if that is true. I understand stuff like the Flu since it's seasonal, but I already have my standard stuff like polio, TDap, Meningitis, etc.

Also, will the Academy do bloodwork to test for mumps and stuff like that I am wondering if I should do it beforehand or wait till BCT and have the Academy do it?

The military services will immunize you for more things than those that you consider "all my requirements". For instance, much of my military career I was required to get Typhoid and Yellow Fever vaccines on a recurring basis to "keep up to date" in addition to flu, tetanus and others. I also had to get Anthrax, Malaria and Gamma Globulin (Hepatitis) when going to certain places.

Note: I never once was tested (bloodwork) to determine of they were needed nor did I ever see that done.

 

[Capt MJ]

The military services will immunize you for more things than those that you consider "all my requirements". For instance, much of my military career I was required to get Typhoid and Yellow Fever vaccines on a recurring basis to "keep up to date" in addition to flu, tetanus and others. I also had to get Anthrax, Malaria and Gamma Globulin (Hepatitis) when going to certain places.

Note: I never once was tested (bloodwork) to determine of they were needed nor did I ever see that done.

Reminds me of one of my first lessons learned as a junior officer preparing to PCS to next duty station. Never, ever leave the departure checklist stop at the medical clinic until last, because the corpsman (with a silent bwah ha ha) reviews your record to see if you are up to date on immunizations before signing you off and handing over any local records. Next stop becomes a walk-in at the shot clinic, and you walk out with port and starboard arm punctures to start your 10 hour drive, knowing the yellow fever would make your bones start aching and give you a splitting headache in just a few hours.

 

[99Gold]

If you have everything they state on the form (not including the optional vaccines like HPV) you shouldn't need any additional on I-day. The weirdest one my ds got from his pediatrician was the stand-alone polio vaccine required by USAFA but they ended up having it so he was good to go and did not need any on I-Day. You will probably get the new flu vaccine each year at USAFA. We did in my day but Ds hasn't mentioned that he got it.

However, like the above posters said, you may need some later. As an AF officer, we only had to get anthrax, small pox, yellow fever, and typhoid when we deployed or went TDY to certain countries. Nothing you need to worry about now.

 

[GWU PNS (emeritus)]

My thoughts on vaccines and hesitancy. Considering that at one point, anthrax vaccine labs were shut down due to poor quality control, but we were told to take the jab anyway......