The McCormick study found a different public attitude about military news providers—whether print and broadcast newsmen on one hand or military spokesmen on the other. The public has grown more skeptical of the media, with only 61 percent saying the mass media keeps them well informed on military and national security issues. Just five years ago, it was 79 percent. Military spokesmen, they say, do not provide enough info. The percent who felt the military was forthcoming dropped from 77 to 54 in five years.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.