Are Medically Discharged Veterans Being Forgotten?
- Kirk Carlson
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
When most people picture a veteran, they imagine someone who served overseas, returned home in uniform, and was honored for their sacrifice. But what about those who were injured early—during training, stateside service, or before deployment? What about those who were medically discharged before they ever got a chance to finish their enlistment?
For too many of these veterans, the truth is painful: they are being forgotten.
🩺 Who Are Medically Discharged Veterans?
Medically discharged veterans are service members who are separated from the military due to a physical or mental health condition that makes them unfit for duty. These conditions might include:
Combat or training injuries
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Chronic pain or illness
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
Physical disabilities from non-combat accidents
While some are able to access Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits after separation, many fall through the cracks due to rushed discharges, incomplete evaluations, or lack of legal guidance during their transition.
🚪 Discharged… Then Dismissed?
In many cases, these veterans are discharged quietly, without recognition, ceremony, or the full support they were promised. They often:
Don’t receive full VA benefits due to unclear paperwork or low disability ratings
Struggle with identity loss, feeling like they never “really served”
Face stigma, even from within the veteran community
Are excluded from veteran programs due to discharge type or lack of deployment
Worse yet, their injuries are sometimes dismissed as “pre-existing,” “not service-connected,” or “not severe”—leaving them with little to no assistance in civilian life.
💸 The High Cost of Neglect
The human cost is profound—depression, unemployment, homelessness, and even suicide are all higher among veterans who feel abandoned after their discharge. But there’s also a financial cost to the nation:
Training costs are wasted when capable personnel are discharged with no retention option
Health care costs shift to state and local systems when VA support is denied
Families are left to shoulder the burden of care without resources or advocacy
In short, ignoring medically discharged veterans is both a moral and logistical failure.
✊ The Case for Change
Campaigns like #ReasonableRanks, led by advocates at Covenant of Courage, are demanding that the Department of Defense and VA:
Offer reassignment pathways for injured, non-deployable personnel
Ensure fair discharge reviews with access to legal support
Track and report discharge disparities by race, gender, and injury type
Educate the public that service is service—whether overseas or on base, in uniform or recovering from injury
🔁 “We Were Willing to Serve—We Just Weren’t Given the Chance”
Too many veterans never made it to the battlefield—not because they weren’t willing, but because they were injured, unsupported, or miscategorized. These individuals gave what they could, when they could, and were met with bureaucracy instead of brotherhood.
It’s time we stop measuring service by combat time alone—and start honoring every veteran who raised their hand and paid the price.
✅ What You Can Do
📌 Sign the petition to support medically discharged veterans and policy reform:
🌐 Learn more about the #ReasonableRanks campaign:
📢 Share this article and amplify the stories of those who were left behind.
Service doesn’t end with a deployment—and neither should our support.
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