Military Is Losing Millions by Discharging Trainable Personnel
- Kirk Carlson
- Jun 23
- 2 min read
Why Policy Reform Could Save Lives—and Budgets
In an era where every dollar counts and national security remains a top priority, the U.S. military continues to hemorrhage millions of dollars annually by discharging injured yet capable service members—individuals who are not only willing to serve but also trainable in critical support roles. This quiet crisis, often buried under layers of outdated policy and rigid deployment standards, isn’t just a human issue—it’s an economic one.
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The Financial Cost of Discharge
The Department of Defense invests an average of $50,000 to $150,000 per service member to recruit, train, and prepare personnel for duty. For specialized roles—like aircraft rescue, cybersecurity, intelligence, or engineering—the cost can exceed $500,000 per individual.
When a service member is injured and rendered non-deployable but still capable of contributing in administrative, training, or technical support roles, discharging them outright squanders that investment. Instead of reallocating their talents, the military absorbs a double financial loss:
Training loss from the initial investment.
New recruitment and training costs to fill the same billet.
In industries like tech or logistics, companies have adapted by retraining workers, recognizing that retaining skilled personnel—even in modified roles—is more cost-effective than starting from scratch. Why is the military lagging behind?
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Trainable Does Not Mean Unfit
Being non-deployable doesn’t mean a service member lacks value. Many injuries are physical in nature but do not affect cognitive performance, leadership ability, or technical skill. Veterans with injuries sustained during service could still:
Train incoming recruits
Fill cybersecurity, admin, or logistics roles
Serve in domestic emergency response teams
Support disaster relief and homeland security efforts
Mentor and advise through peer support programs
A reassignment pathway—akin to ADA-style accommodations—would allow these individuals to serve with purpose while saving the military valuable resources.
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The Bigger Picture: Readiness & Retention
Discharging thousands of trainable personnel each year contributes to workforce shortages, decreased morale, and talent drain across branches. The ripple effect undermines:
Retention goals
Unit cohesion
Operational readiness
Recruitment ROI
In contrast, creating a “Reasonable Reassignment” policy would bolster force stability and demonstrate an institutional commitment to protecting those who served.
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The Human and Fiscal Solution
Movements like #ReasonableRanks are advocating for this commonsense shift—calling on Congress and the Department of Defense to re-evaluate outdated discharge policies that equate non-deployable with non-essential.
Reform isn’t just about doing the right thing morally—it’s about doing the smart thing financially.
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Take Action
📌 Sign the petition to support reassignment over discharge for trainable service members:
🌐 Learn more about the campaign at:
Final Thought:
The U.S. military prides itself on strength, adaptability, and resilience. Isn’t it time our policies reflected the same? Let’s stop wasting taxpayer dollars—and start investing in the veterans who never stopped being ready to serve.
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