Members of the US military will be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon and endorsed by President Joe Biden, according to AP.

In memos distributed to all troops, top Pentagon leaders said the vaccine is a necessary step to maintain military readiness.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the mid-September deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine receives final Food and Drug Administration approval or infection rates continue to rise.

“I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon,” Austin said in his memo, warning them to prepare for the requirement.