{
  "id": "RL30761",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL30761",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 102035,
      "date": "2000-11-28",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:31:53.071941",
      "title": "HIV-1/AIDS and Military Manpower Policy",
      "summary": "In October 1985, the Department of Defense (DOD) began screening all applicants for military\nservice for Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 or HIV-1. Such screening was controversial. Since\nthen, DOD has taken other actions and issued guidlelines on various aspects of its AIDS policy\nwhich have been carefully watched and scrutinized by Congress, and other Federal and State\nagencies because of their ground-breaking nature.\n  This report examines aspects of DOD policy on HIV-1/AIDS and legislation introduced to\nmodify this policy. Under current DOD policy, applicants who test positive for HIV-1 infection are\nnot eligible for enlistment or appointment to the military. This policy also sets guidelines on the\nassignment of military personnel with HIV-1 infection, disease surveillance and health education,\nretention, separation, safety of the blood supply, and limitations on the use of information. \n  In recent years, legislation has been introduced calling for the military separation of HIV-1-\n positive personnel. However, these efforts have not been successful. The most recent\n development\nis that legislation in the FY2001 Defense Appropriations Act earmarks $10 million in defense\nfunding to help address the problem of HIV-1/AIDS in Africa.\n  The ongoing debate on HIV-1/AIDS and military manpower policy includes the following\nissues. First, although HIV-1 testing procedures have remained largely the same, opponents have\nsuggested that the President should terminate testing. Second, concerns exist over the career\nimplications for personnel who test positive for HIV-1. These include providing information\nconcerning the source of the infection, assignment limitations, and the separation or retention of\nservice members who test positive for HIV-1. Third, AIDS could be expected to strain the military\nhealth care system only if the rate of infection significantly increases. AIDS is an expensive illness\nto treat; however, so far, the services have not incurred major economic impacts from the disease. \nFourth, although DOD took an early lead in medical research on AIDS, this role has been questioned. \nProponents of a continued DOD role cite DOD's ability to conduct extensive and controlled tests.\nBut, opponents argue that DOD clinical studies are redundant and wasteful. Fifth, DOD works to\nprotect military personnel and dependents from HIV-1 infection through testing, screening blood\nsupplies, and developing educational initiatives. If, in the future, DOD approaches this issue from\nsimply a readiness perspective, protection of personnel might include the separation of infected\nservice members. Such separations may have an effect on the member's access to health care and\nfuture income. Sixth, current policy states that HIV-1-positive service members are not deployable\noverseas. Were proposed legislation enacted to separate HIV-1-positive personnel, it would only\nmarginally affect the number available for deployment.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "African Affairs",
    "Appropriations",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}