Why can't people join the army?

Question

Why can't people who are HIV/AIDS positive join the army I know that HIV/AIDS is an infectious disease but I feel that it's no worse than having cancer, heart disease, or anything else know one want's to catch those things. But it's ok to join if you've got cancer right I mean why should people who are infected be excluded, it's not like you go in to have sex with the other crew members or nothing, and I'm sure that if you're tested possitive they want let you give blood so please, please tell me what's the big deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

You can't enter the military if you're already HIV+, however if you become infected while you're enlisted then you are able to continue serving all the way up to your retirement.
Believe it or not, the military takes oustanding care of it's sailors, soldiers & airmen who are HIV+. At Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA they have, hands down, THE best HIV facilities in this country! After NMCSD, Walter Reed is just as fantastic.
I suppose the reason that a person can't enter the military with the virus is because, immediately it limits where the military can send you (in the Navy, for example, a person who's positive can not serve on ships and I believe, you're limited to duty stateside only also). Being HIV+ also labels you as unfit for combat duty. The reason being, the military would prefer that its positive troops are on shore duty because it keeps you close to proper medical facilities should the need arise. There are social workers and military members who are fighting for the right to become labeled as combat-ready regardless of their status, but that could be a long ways away.
Also, should a positive member decide to end his active duty, the VA hospital continues to provide HIV care to those that qualify (and based on your type of discharge).
Did that provide some insight for you?

Answer 2

There is a nasty side effect to military. IT's called war. doesn't happen to all who enlist. However when there is this outbreak it effects almost all.
To boot there is also another side effect to war. It's called injures,and in some cases death.
With the injures you don't know where they are coming from it happens out of the blue. There is blood that is shed. These soliders have enough to worry about and do the best with only seconds making a difference in matters of life and death. Do they need to add other procautions. Such as you need to separate solider A from solider B because A has HIV. Which one do you send up in the chopper first. So blood doesn't contaminate? Does a test have to be preformed on solider B because they were sitting next to each other when a bomb went off and the blood was flying everywhere?
Many of these injuries are live threatening do you think HIV should even come into the equation where there are so many other issues to deal with, Such as just keeping these soliders alive until they can get to a hospital.
These soliders are risking their lives and limbs for our country do they need to risk getting HIV too?

Answer 3

1. the miltary wants only healthy soldiers because ony a healthy soldier is capable of fighting

2. the military doesn't want to infect the troops that they already have because that would reduce the forces available

3. even if an hiv positive person were excluded from giving blood, etc. the moral of the troops is also a factor, not just the non-infected troops but the infected one as well. The first reaction of anyone who learns that someone next to them has an infectious disease is fear or revulsion. That fear demoralizes a soldier and a demoralized soldier can't fight,. And for the infected soldier how do you think he/she would feel after witnessing a someone not being repulsed by the mere sight of them. Humilated comes to mind and a a humilated soldier is a demoralized solder, thus they can't fight either.

Answer 4

If you have cancer you can't join the Army. Also any heart or extreme medical problems either as well as any plates or screws that you may have as well as mental conditions such as depression or to many family dependents will bar you from serving. As for having HIV/AIDS the reason is that you could get sick and would not be productive to your unit. AIDS/HIV is listed as a disability by the government because it is debilitating.

Answer 5

I guess you have never been in the Military would you like to be working on someone in the field that got blown up and you had wounds on you and come to find out that person you where working on has AIDS and now you have the AIDS. There are many more reason why I thought this would be a good one to share

Answer 6

Patricia, there ain't no way a person with cancer or heart disease is going to get into the military. So what is your point? And I would have to be crazy to hire anyone with HIV, Hepatitis, heart disease or cancer. Your argument is entirely specious.

Answer 7

The big deal is that your HIV problem will become the Army's problem when you join. Not to mention the other soldiers that you might infect. Cancer isn't contagious. I don't think they would allow you to join with cancer anyways....

Answer 8

Aids is also transferred by coming in to contact with infected blood. When soldiers are in the field, they do not have access to safety measures that hospitals do. During both training and on the battlefield it is likely that soldiers will get open wounds, and anyone delivering aid would then be at risk for transmission. Aids patients are also not in good physical shape during periods of inflation, they would be unable to fulfill their duties.

Answer 9

OH, PLEASE! The whole army could be come endangered because of the blood splattering, ect. Stop with this horrible political correctness.

Our military is going to be facing a big enough challenge to survive with those hideous Democrats who've slithered into power, and the threat of a Hillary who could undermine and cripple it just like she did the last time along with Slick.

That's all it needs is having people with AIDS in there. Stop with this horrible idea.

Answer 10

Because it is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids and in the heat of combat a medic or corpman or even the guy next to you can't be concerned about taking the nessicary precautions to prevent infection before saving your life !