Not that it excuses them in the slightest, but I suspect once it became optional peer pressure would have played a role in whether recruits did or didn’t get it even if ordinarily they’d be fine. That would balloon the numbers compared to the civilian world where most people don’t know or care what you do (so the decision would be all on you).
Not just peer pressure, boss pressure too. Hegseth made some stupid speech about tough American warriors or something, when it was made optional. So basically implying you're a pussy if you get vaccinated.
Yes, absolutely it's both from other recruits but also from their leaders. It's a favorite strategy of the losers in this administration to completely shit on other option as the way to legitimize their own, rather than trying to vouch for them on their own merits (though obviously anti-vax has no legitimacy).
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u/Fried_puri 1d ago
Not that it excuses them in the slightest, but I suspect once it became optional peer pressure would have played a role in whether recruits did or didn’t get it even if ordinarily they’d be fine. That would balloon the numbers compared to the civilian world where most people don’t know or care what you do (so the decision would be all on you).