Friday, June 16, 2017

Rolling Stone - What's it Like to Be HIV+ in the Military

Words can't describe my gratitude for the honest investigative reporting and compassion Rolling Stone and Joseph Jaafari have given to both my family and to me.

Please take a moment and read the article - remember that not only was there no sex involved, but the only government witness had the courage to come forward and sign a Title X Sworn Statement recanting and condemning CPT Jordan Stapley for lying to him and coercing his testimony...

The Entire case against me is and was a fabrication and a lie!

Whats it Like to be HIV+ in the Military



"For Kenneth Pinkela, Otisville dates back four generations with his family. The old Railroad Hotel and Bar off Main Street – one of the town's three major roads – is the one his grandfather owned.
"Not a lot to look at, but it's where I was raised. It's home," says Pinkela, driving his Ford pickup through the winding streets.
For Pinkela, Otisville is bittersweet. At 50 years old, the former Army lieutenant colonel, who still holds the shape of a weightlifter, is stuck there. He was forced to move back into his parent's home three years ago after a military court martial had found him guilty of aggravated assault and battery back in 2012.
But Pinkela never bruised up anyone. Instead, he was tried and charged for exposing a younger lieutenant to HIV, though there was no proof of transmission. Pinkela has been HIV positive since 2007 when he was diagnosed right before deployment to Iraq during the surge.
President Jimmy Carter denounced Pinkela's trial, and advocates argue it was one of the last Don't Ask Don't Tell cases the military tried and won. (Pinkela is also openly gay.) He served eight months in prison, lost his home and was dishonorably discharged from the Army.
Otisville was the only place for Pinkela to retreat to – specifically, back to his mother's house.
Since being home, things have only gotten worse for Pinkela. His relationship with his mother is strained, he hasn't had sex for years and doesn't feel safe in public places."

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