Judge Lifts HIV Ban from Military Service

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Those who are HIV positive are now able to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Judge Leonie Brinkema of Virginia, who handed down the ruling, declared the Department of Defense’s ban on the enlistment of HIV positive people was unconstitutional.

The Modern Military Association, America’s largest organization of LGBTQ+ service members, celebrated the decision. 

“The court’s decision to overturn these restrictions validates the principle we have championed: that modern medicine and science must guide military policy, not fear or stigma,” the group said in a press release.

The DoD argued HIV positive troops, on certain deployments, could go without access to their medications, thus risking an increased viral load. The Pentagon also cited the medications’ high costs as a contributing factor in its stance.

Douglas Houghton, Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Advanced Practice Providers at the University of Miami Health System, said he believes curing HIV is within reach.

“Finding a cure for HIV is still a big deal because it's costing us tons of money to keep everybody on the meds,” said Houghton. “That’s a huge health care burden, it would be great if they could eliminate that.”

-Kim Swan