Pentagon balks at court order allowing HIV-positive persons to serve
BLUF – The article reports that the Pentagon is seeking to block a federal appeals court order that would allow otherwise qualified applicants with asymptomatic, medically controlled HIV to enlist or receive commissions while the case of Wilkins v. Hegseth continues through the courts. Defense Department attorneys argue that changing accession standards during ongoing litigation would disrupt military recruiting and personnel processes, while the plaintiffs contend that modern HIV treatment allows affected individuals to serve safely and effectively, consistent with previous court rulings that permitted HIV-positive service members to remain in service and deploy. The case highlights the continuing legal and policy debate over whether longstanding HIV accession restrictions remain justified given advances in treatment and the military’s existing policies for currently serving personnel with controlled HIV.
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