Pentagon Pauses Training for HIV-Positive Recruits as Enlistment Policy Review Continues

The Pentagon has ordered a pause on initial training for newly enlisted recruits who are HIV-positive, signaling that a broader policy decision on their eligibility to join the military could come soon.

According to guidance sent Friday by the US Military Entrance Processing Command, the directive came from the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Officials say a decision on whether to reinstate a previous Defense Department ban on the enlistment of HIV-positive individuals is expected in the coming weeks.

The move follows a decision last month by a federal appeals court to temporarily block a lower-court ruling from 2024 that prohibited the Pentagon from rejecting recruits solely based on asymptomatic HIV status. While the appeals court has not issued a final ruling, Pentagon officials say the Accession Policy office is actively reviewing the issue.

The guidance states that, while awaiting a final decision, the military will pause sending HIV-positive applicants to basic training and will reassess the policy in the near future. The Pentagon referred questions on the matter to the Department of Justice.

It remains unclear how many recruits who have already signed enlistment contracts will be affected by the pause.

In 2024, a federal judge ruled that the military could not bar individuals from enlistment solely due to HIV, citing advances in medical treatment. The judge noted that asymptomatic service members with undetectable viral loads are capable of performing all military duties, including worldwide deployment. Modern medications can suppress HIV to undetectable levels, significantly reducing transmission risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ruling followed a years-long legal battle involving several HIV-positive individuals who were denied enlistment or re-enlistment. One of them, Isaiah Wilkins, had sought to transition from the Georgia National Guard to the Army Reserve but was blocked after learning of his diagnosis.

The federal government appealed the ruling, and last month the Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals paused the decision, allowing the Pentagon to enforce its policies while the legal process continues.

Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Department of Defense has tightened several policies affecting service members and recruits. While a 2022 policy allowed HIV-positive service members already in uniform to deploy and commission as officers, it did not change enlistment rules for new recruits.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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