LONGWOOD, Fla. — Vaccine advocates say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and White House's endorsements of booster shots is a big step toward ending the pandemic in the U.S. 

Vietnam Fighter Pilot Stan Goldstein, who lives at the Village on the Green in Longwood, is one of those advocates.

He flew extremely dangerous missions during the Vietnam War, and it was those days when he learned how important it was to be protected. 

That is one of the reasons he was so excited when he got the news on his smart watch Friday about booster shots. 

“I was quite happy because I think we need to do it," Goldstein said. "It’s as I may have said to you before, that’s the old parachute trick." 

And now it is a parachute that now even more people can use. 

The CDC and White House endorsed a third booster dose Friday of the Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for Americans 65 and older and for those with underlying medical conditions that may put them at higher risk.

Goldstein has already received his booster shot, something he calls a parachute for everyday life in a pandemic. 

“When you’ve got it, it gives you a little more sense of security of that, hey, you can go out into this world and hopefully avoid getting it,” he said. 

Goldstein lives a quiet life now at Village on the Green, but from his time in war he said everyone in the war against COVID-19 together, and hopes everyone takes advantage of every weapon and protection they can. 

“Another bullet in your gun," he said. "You’ve got more ammunition to fight off anything that may be facing you, and you may as well have all the protection you can."

Spectrum News 13 checked with officials at local health departments and they said they’ll be relying heavily on pharmacies like CVS while they come up with their own plans to roll out booster shots.