Injured, Still Valuable: Why Military Policy Must Catch Up to Disability Rights

By Kirk Carlson | USMC Veteran | Founder, Covenant of Courage

Every American who puts on the uniform swears an oath and commits to being ready — in body, mind, and spirit — to defend the nation. It’s a calling that requires sacrifice, discipline, and yes, a high level of physical performance. But what happens when a service member is injured, becomes non-deployable, and can no longer meet those rigorous physical standards?

In today’s military, the answer is often discharge — regardless of the service member’s continued ability to contribute in non-combat roles. This policy, while rooted in the logic of combat readiness, creates a system that fails to reflect the diverse and modern needs of the armed forces — and undermines the principles of disability equity that the civilian world has long embraced.

The Military’s Readiness Policy: One Size Fits All?

Under current Department of Defense guidelines, deployability is a core requirement for continued military service. This means that if a soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine cannot be sent into a combat zone or meet physical fitness requirements due to injury or chronic illness, they are often processed for medical separation or retirement.

This policy was designed for a force structure in which everyone is presumed to be a potential combatant. But in practice, modern military operations rely on thousands of non-combat roles — from cybersecurity to logistics, education to chaplaincy, administration to recruiting. These roles do not require battlefield readiness, but they do require experience, leadership, and commitment — qualities that injured service members often have in abundance.

The Civilian Parallel: ADA Protections and Reassignment

In the civilian world, laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensure that employees who become injured or disabled are not immediately terminated. Instead, employers are legally required to explore reasonable accommodations, including reassignment to a different role within the organization.

Federal civilian agencies, police departments, and fire services routinely reassign personnel who can no longer perform in frontline roles. These systems recognize that injury does not erase value, and that preserving institutional knowledge and human dignity benefits everyone.

So why is the military different?

The ADA Gap in the Military

The ADA explicitly exempts the military, giving the Department of Defense broad discretion in how it treats service members with medical conditions. This exemption is often justified on the basis of national security — the need to keep forces combat-ready at all times.

But this blanket exemption results in a systemic double standard: one that discards skilled, loyal service members instead of adapting to retain them.

The question we must ask is not, “Can every injured service member return to the battlefield?” but rather, “Can they still serve the mission in another way?”

The #ReasonableRanks Campaign: A Call for Reassignment

At Covenant of Courage, our #ReasonableRanks initiative is working to change this outdated system. We believe the military should develop a formal career reassignment pathway — a structured process that evaluates non-deployable troops for alternative roles before discharging them.

This policy shift would:

• Preserve taxpayer investment in trained personnel

• Protect the dignity and purpose of injured veterans

• Align the military with modern disability rights standards

• Improve force diversity and retention

• Reinforce the message: “You are more than your injury.”

Looking Forward: Policy Reform Through Legal and Legislative Channels

While the military’s ADA exemption limits direct legal challenges, there is still a strong case to be made through:

• Congressional reform via the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

• Administrative review and recommendations from DoD oversight bodies

• Public pressure through petitions, campaigns, and veteran advocacy coalitions

With over 180 signatures and growing, the #ReasonableRanks petition is gaining momentum. Veterans, families, civilians, and elected officials alike are beginning to realize what’s at stake: not just fairness, but the future of how we value military service.

Final Thought

Injury should not be a ticket to the exit door. It should be the beginning of a new role — one that honors service, utilizes skills, and upholds our national commitment to those who wore the uniform.

Let’s stop discharging dedication. Let’s start reassigning it.

📌 Sign the petition: https://chng.it/5yXYvkBtMR

🌐 Learn more: www.ReasonableRanks.org