The Military’s Hidden Disability Crisis By Covenant of Courage | #ReasonableRanks Campaign

Beneath the polished uniforms and structured discipline of America’s armed forces lies a crisis few are willing to talk about: the silent, systemic failure to recognize, accommodate, and support service members living with disabilities—especially those with invisible injuries.

From mental health conditions like PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI), to chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and pregnancy-related medical needs, thousands of troops face a system that punishes difference instead of adapting to it. This is the military’s hidden disability crisis—and it’s leaving behind the very people who were willing to give everything.

🔍 What Makes It “Hidden”?

The military doesn’t often acknowledge disability in the same way civilian society does. While a civilian employee with a disability may receive accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), active-duty service members are exempt from most of the ADA’s protections. That means:

• No legal right to reasonable accommodation

• No reassignment requirements before discharge

• No disability protections for non-visible conditions

Service members living with PTSD, military sexual trauma (MST), reproductive health complications, or training-related injuries are often seen as liabilities—not as people with continued value and skills.

⚠️ Discharged, Denied, Disregarded

The impact of this systemic gap is devastating:

• Injured trainees are often discharged without meeting the 180-day requirement to qualify for full VA benefits.

• Pregnant service members are removed from duty without reassignment pathways, even when capable of fulfilling admin or support roles.

• LGBTQ+ and disabled troops face higher rates of early discharge or lack of accommodation.

• Veterans with chronic conditions often fight for years to have their injuries acknowledged by the VA—if at all.

This isn’t just about bad policy. It’s about a culture that equates disability with weakness, and deployability with worth.

🛠️ What Needs to Change

At Covenant of Courage, we believe it’s time to overhaul the system. Through the #ReasonableRanks campaign, we’re pushing for a modern, disability-inclusive military policy that reflects both reality and respect.

Our core demands:

✅ Reassignment, not discharge for non-deployable but capable service members

✅ Recognition of invisible injuries such as PTSD, MST, and chronic illness

✅ Creation of a DoD-wide Disability Accommodations Framework

✅ Training for command leadership on disability equity

✅ Full VA benefits for those injured during training or early service

🧠 Invisible Wounds Deserve Visible Action

America’s military depends on courage, teamwork, and sacrifice. But if we can’t protect our own from being discarded for getting hurt in the line of duty, what are we really defending?

Disability isn’t the end of service. It should be the beginning of adaptive leadership, where those with lived experience shape a stronger, more inclusive force.

✊ Join the Fight

📝 Sign the Petition → https://chng.it/5yXYvkBtMR

🌐 Learn More → www.covenantofcourage.com

📣 Use Your Voice → #ReasonableRanks #MilitaryDisabilityCrisis #SupportOurVeterans #DisabilityRightsInUniform

Every service member matters. Every injury counts. And every voice can change the system.