Putting an end to the military's HIV ban

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A positive HIV test shattered his dreams of serving in the U.S. Army. Now he's suing Isaiah Wilkins Courtesy of Lambda Legal By Elijah Wolfson Editorial Director It’s one of the great achievements of medical science that an HIV infection is nowhere near the death sentence it was in the 1980s and 90s. Indeed, with access to the right treatment and care, you can keep the virus suppressed and untransmittable and live as long and healthy a life as someone without HIV. That’s why I was surprised to find out that the U.S. military has a blanket ban on any HIV-positive recruits. I discovered this anachronistic policy while reading the first draft of journalist Jordan Gonsalves’ feature about a young man named Isaiah Wilkins who was, for a time, a star U.S. Army cadet. “To lose him as a future leader for the Army was a shame,” Major Jeremiah Ellis, deputy commandant of West Point Prep, told Gonsalves. “He was absolutely the kid that I could see leading our soldiers one day.” Then he was diagnosed with HIV, and for all intents and purposes, the military gave him the boot. Not only is Wilkins not allowed back into the Army, the government says he owes them over $16,000, because he only completed three of his eight years of his service commitment before being discharged. Now he’s suing both the Army and the Department of Defense. If he wins, the impact of the case will help bring the military into the present, and could have knock-on effects elsewhere. “If the military is welcoming to people living with HIV, workplaces everywhere will see people living with HIV as less of a danger,” says Scott Schoettes, one of Wilkin’s attorneys. “For many Americans, this will reduce the shame of disclosing their status and even getting tested all together.” READ THE STORY.   Share the story

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One Last Read Hiring: NYC's New Rat Czar New York City’s rats are the leading cause of leptospirosis; while infections—which can cause fever, diarrhea, and muscle aches—are still rare, the number of people diagnosed in recent years has increased, says NYC Health. And a new study released this week that has not yet been peer reviewed found New York’s rats are easily infected with COVID-19. To help solve the problem, Mayor Eric Adams is now looking for one passionate pest hunter, who can earn up to $170,000 leading his “Rat Pack.” As Bloomberg reports, the job qualifications include having a "'swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor, and general aura of badassery'— and proficiency with Microsoft Word." Read More »

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