Discharged and Disregarded: The Hidden Cost of Military Fitness Standards
- Kirk Carlson
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
By Kirk Carlson
Veteran Advocate | Founder, Covenant of Courage | #ReasonableRanks Campaign
When we think of service members being discharged from the military, we often picture battlefield injuries or disciplinary issues. But behind closed doors, far from combat zones or public hearings, another form of discharge is happening every day—one that affects thousands of troops who are not wounded in action but wounded by bureaucracy.
These are the service members who are being discharged for failing to meet physical fitness standards, often due to training injuries, surgeries, or medical conditions that could be accommodated—but are not. These are the men and women who are discharged and disregarded.
🎖️ Fitness as a Measure—Not a Final Judgment
Physical fitness is undeniably essential to military readiness. The military’s various branches rely on regular PT (physical training) assessments to ensure troops are deployable and capable of meeting physical demands.
But what happens when a highly trained, dedicated, and experienced service member suffers a back injury during boot camp or a torn ACL during a mandatory hike? What if that individual, though unable to run a 2-mile in 15 minutes, excels in intelligence, logistics, cybersecurity, or leadership?
The answer, too often, is forced discharge. Not because of misconduct. Not because of poor performance. But because of a number on a stopwatch.
📉 The Cost of a Rigid System
This rigid system has created a revolving door where service members—some just months away from promotion—are being separated for not meeting fitness test requirements, even when:
The injury occurred during active-duty training
The member requests reassignment to a less physically demanding role
The individual could still serve honorably in support capacities
The result?
Loss of purpose
Financial instability
Increased veteran homelessness and mental health risk
Taxpayer waste from retraining replacements
In the civilian world, these same individuals would likely be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), given modified duties, or reassigned—not discarded.
⚖️ A Legal Double Standard
The Department of Defense is exempt from ADA provisions, which means troops are not guaranteed the right to reasonable accommodation or reassignment—even when their medical conditions are service-connected.
That legal gap has real human consequences. A civilian firefighter who injures his knee may be transferred to fire prevention or training. A military firefighter with the same injury may be discharged and sent home—career over, benefits limited, and mission unfulfilled.
This is not just inefficient. It’s unjust.
💔 “I Was Willing to Serve—They Weren’t Willing to Keep Me”
The stories are heartbreaking and frequent.
A Marine injured during pre-deployment training discharged before his first tour
A soldier recovering from surgery released while still attending physical therapy
An airman with PTSD and chronic pain told he was “unfit to serve” after years of outstanding evaluations
These are not isolated cases. They represent a systemic flaw in a military culture that too often equates fitness with worth.
🧠 The Smarter Alternative: Reassignment, Not Rejection
The solution isn’t to eliminate PT standards. It’s to apply them wisely and offer a reassignment pathway for those who can no longer meet them due to documented injury or service-connected limitations.
A force that claims to value every MOS (military occupational specialty) must recognize that not every valuable troop needs to deploy. The modern military depends on logistics, intelligence, engineering, and medical roles—all of which can be served by individuals who are no longer combat-ready, but still mission-capable.
📣 The #ReasonableRanks Campaign
Led by the nonprofit Covenant of Courage, the #ReasonableRanks campaign is calling on the Department of Defense and Congress to:
Establish a reassignment pathway for injured service members
Reform discharge standards to consider service history, intent, and capacity
Apply the spirit of the ADA to non-deployable but willing troops
Fund retention programs over discharge pipelines
We’ve already received formal support from the City of Corona, gathered over 200 petition signatures, and launched national outreach to churches, city councils, VSOs, and lawmakers.
🛠 It’s Time to Fix What’s Broken
Dignity, not discharge.
Reassignment, not rejection.
That’s what our injured troops deserve.
Because no one who swore an oath to serve should be told they are no longer valuable—because of a push-up count.
📢 Join the Movement
✍️ Sign the Petition: https://chng.it/5yXYvkBtMR
🌐 Learn More: www.ReasonableRanks.org
📩 Contact: kirkbcarlson@covenantofcourage.com
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