Vaccines for Military Members

Vaccines are an important part of protecting your health and making sure you’re able to serve.

That’s because you may be more likely to live in close quarters with others and travel to certain countries where you could eat contaminated (unclean) food or water or be bitten by an infected mosquito. These are just a few of the things that can put you at increased risk for serious, vaccine-preventable diseases.

As a member of the military, you’ll get vaccines when you enter basic training and before you deploy to protect you from serious diseases. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to stay healthy and help protect your fellow military members, your family, and your community.

Which vaccines are recommended for military members?

Most military members receive the same recommended vaccines as everyone else based on age, vaccination history, health conditions, and travel plans. Find out which routine vaccines are recommended for your age (PDF - 148KB).

Depending on where you’ll be deployed, you may also need additional vaccines. Find vaccine recommendations by area of responsibility (military geographic region).

Find out which vaccines you need

CDC’s Adult Vaccine Quiz helps you create a list of vaccines you may need based on your age, health conditions, and more.

Take the quiz now!

Get vaccinated

Getting vaccinated is easy. Vaccines are available at the doctor’s office and many pharmacies — and most are covered by insurance.

Find out how to get vaccinated.

Content created by Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP)
Content last reviewed