HIV - Discharge from U.S. Air Force: Josh Hipps Interview - Part 1

2nd Lieutenant Josh Hipps of the Air Force was recently diagnosed with HIV, December 7th of 2018. I had the good fortune of meeting Josh and he told me about the HIV positive people being discharged from the Air Force because of their status. Little did he know that he would soon be threatened with the same. Josh agreed to Skype chat with me about his situation and the struggle to find equality for those with HIV in the military.
Josh Hipps:
/ colby.hipps
/ joshuahipps1994
Athletes Against HIV (non-profit):
www.athletesagainsthiv.com/
Raif Derrazi:
Instagram: / raifderrazi
Snapchat: rderrazi
Twitter: / rderrazi
Facebook: / raifderrazifitness
#AirForce #HIV #JoshHipps

[@ZaihasSyakhir]

First. Great insight on this matter in depth!

[@RaifDerrazi]

Glad you liked it Zaihas!

[@carlosvasconcelos4326]

Amazing video. Thanks for subtitles!

[@RaifDerrazi]

Carlos Vasconcelos You’re welcome! Glad you appreciate the effort I put into making them accurate and available!

[@rainbowboii9512]

great interview here,more please,and thanks for the upload.

[@RaifDerrazi]

You're welcome! I'm glad you like the interview my friend 🙏

[@MichaelWConnor]

Great channel! Thank you for telling Josh’s story!

[@RaifDerrazi]

You bet! He's a champ for coming on and bring willing to do that at such a vulnerable time.

[@sirdaronandyandal6263]

This interview is really great to get rid of the stigma and show how should people dealing with HIV be treated. thanks Raif!

[@RaifDerrazi]

You’re welcome!

[@mannyms3955]

Raif , is there any possibility for hiv people can migrate to US . If a guy or girl under ART treatment can get immigrant ?? Or do they need to show their medication certificates ? Hope I will get a reply from you ! 😀

[@RaifDerrazi]

Currently HIV is not a hindrance to migrate to the US

[@MatthewRodarte]

Love you so much 💖💖💖

[@RaifDerrazi]

Aww, much love to you Matthew!

[@MarioLopez-iy5tu]

Happy valentines man 👨 god bless you

[@RaifDerrazi]

Hehe Happy Valentine's back

[@amiroljohnson8671]

All is well brother's😇

[@hajiyu3742]

Everything will be ok bro josh as long as you are focus and know what you want to do everything will end well also,,, Thanks for the insight raffi miss you

[@RaifDerrazi]

Thanks for the support, Haji. He's certainly gonna give it all he's got! Don't miss me! I'm here. I'm baaaack 😉

[@hajiyu3742]

Raif Derrazi hugggsss

[@hajiyu3742]

Raif Derrazi just mz you a lot happy that ypu were back,,,,, happy valentines in advance

[@jimb2683]

Is there any possibility for hiv people to join any branch of the military in the future?

[@joshhipps8072]

At the moment, anyone who is positive before entering military service is ineligible to join.

[@IINVICTA]

Why would you want to join the military with HIV ? Basic training would be hell, AIT would be hell, PT at your unit level would be hell. Why join the military just to be non deployable ?

[@jimb2683]

emem o you know nothing about HIV do you? It can be deployable. Do you know what hiv is? You don’t even know the difference between hiv and aids do you?

[@joshhipps8072]

I agree there. I am training for a full Ironman at the moment. So why would everything be hell? It’s already hell. Learn the military culture first of all man. Second of all... it’s HIV. It’s managed with 1 pill a day. I’m healthy as a whistle. You’re probably less healthy than i am. Myself, Raif and the majority of us living with HIV are EXTREMELY healthier than the general population.

[@joshhipps8072]

emem o get off of here with the negativity. Educate yourself buddy

[@shannonbee330]

Hey does it take 3 or 6 months to know for sure if your positive?

[@RaifDerrazi]

Daryan Shannon Try our his tool for estimating how conclusive an HIV test is: smartsexresource.com/health-providers/calculating-hiv-window-periods

[@shannonbee330]

Okay thank you soo much😉

[@RaifDerrazi]

Daryan Shannon You’re very welcome! 😌🙏🏽

[@steveninja7456]

Hey Raif, I was wondering is it hard to lose weight and be on meds? Some meds make people gain weight do you know if they can lose it again by working out and eating right foods? What supplements do you take ? Do they help you out in workouts and staying healthy? Why I ask is I feel I’ve gained weight being on meds because when I was diagnosed with HIV I was scared to start meds and I was in perfect shape until I started meds !

[@RaifDerrazi]

I really can only speak for myself. I don't have an issue with weight gain or weight loss while taking meds. And I've mentioned all the supplements I currently take, daily, in a previous vlog: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ7VpmVqqrySZ8k They do help me with my workouts and in bodybuilding.

[@steveninja7456]

Hey Raif, how are you? Hey I have a question for you! Let me know if it’s ok to ask you on here. It is about HIV and weight lose. Thank you Steve.

[@RaifDerrazi]

Ask away

[@davionbarr15]

Can you enlist with a positive hiv infection?

[@tacoman864]

Hey buddy, how u been?

[@RaifDerrazi]

I've been great, brother! Thanks for asking. It's been a while since I posted video because I've been working hard on solidifying some deals and getting ready to double down on creating content. 🙏

[@tacoman864]

@@RaifDerrazi awesome man. Im glad your doing better form the brake up. I know how bad that can hurt. But ur a good man anyone would be blessed to be with u. Luv ya brother.

[@RaifDerrazi]

Taco Man Thanks dude. Just focusing on the things I have to be grateful for, the things I care about and not letting anything/anyone get in the way of that 👊🏽😌

[@ascott2168]

@@tacoman864 Raif stated that he's dating someone in his recent doctors visit vlog 👬💞💝 !! So happy for him 🤗🤗

[@tacoman864]

@@ascott2168 me too awesome person.

[@mojoe3012]

Sounds a bit too complicated. I am not sure where I fall on this issue. There doesn't seem to be a specific policy to either support or oppose

[@joshhipps8072]

Nothing complicated. It is all clearly there in written policy. Feel free to search "Air Force HIV policy" or "DoDI HIV policy" for the published documents. Both DoD instructions and Air Force instructions clearly state that "Asymptomatic HIV alone is not unfitting for continued military service." Asymptomatic HIV means that the virus is non-progressing. HIV is super simple to manage and keep it from progressing - aka - compliance and adherence to the treatment (one pill a day that is stored in an ordinary pill bottle with no special storage requirements). Have a great evening :)

[@deedee2]

I read somewhere that even if you are not detectable in your blood, you can still have hidden reservoirs in your genital tract, be detectable in your semen and be transmissable that way

[@davidcalderon5895]

How long can you live with hiv bro

[@RaifDerrazi]

About as long as anyone else

[@mihunk9634]

Hi Raif we love your vedios..and your body....can you please tell abt the kind of problem u faced and stigmas...one important is can u tell about the lymph nodes... Please make a vedio on lymph nodes and the problems.... Can you do it... May it help Many of them...

[@ccxx9307]

Your beautiful 📸

[@RaifDerrazi]

😌🙏

[@timothymozee1106]

This Lieutenant is very much misinformed.

[@RaifDerrazi]

Misinformed about what?

[@mannyms3955]

Raif , is there any possibility for hiv people can migrate to US . If a guy or girl under ART treatment can get immigrant ?? Or do they need to show their medication certificates ? Hope I will get a reply from you ! 😀

[@RaifDerrazi]

Currently HIV is not a hindrance to migrate to the US