The #ReasonableRanks Campaign: A Call for Fair Treatment of Medically Discharged Veterans
- Kirk Carlson
- May 30
- 3 min read
By Kirk Carlson | USMC Veteran | Founder, Covenant of Courage
Every year, thousands of American service members are medically discharged due to injuries or illnesses sustained during training—long before they ever deploy or complete their military service. Despite their willingness to serve, their sacrifice, and their commitment to our country, these men and women are often sent home with no career reassignment options, limited benefits, and little recognition for their service.
This is not just a policy failure—it’s a moral failure.
The #ReasonableRanks campaign was launched to correct this injustice. It is a national call to action to ensure that all service members, especially those who are injured during training, are treated with dignity, offered alternatives to discharge, and granted access to the full range of veteran benefits they have earned.
🚨 The Problem: Quiet Discharges, Loud Consequences
Service-related injuries can happen during boot camp, advanced training, or even daily physical conditioning. When a service member is injured before deployment, the military often categorizes them as “non-deployable” and initiates a discharge—regardless of their willingness to continue serving in another role.
These early discharges come with harsh consequences:
Loss of access to VA healthcare
Denial of retirement credit or GI Bill eligibility
Gaps in disability compensation
Long-term mental and emotional trauma from being involuntarily released
The system does not currently offer consistent options for career reassignment or reasonable accommodation, even when those injured service members are willing and able to serve in a modified capacity.
🎯 What #ReasonableRanks Is Fighting For
The #ReasonableRanks campaign, led by Covenant of Courage, seeks to bring awareness to this issue and demand policy changes that include:
✅ Career Reassignment Options
Injured service members should be given the opportunity to continue serving in a different, non-physical, or administrative role based on their abilities.
✅ Full Benefits Access
Discharge due to a service-connected injury—regardless of timing—should not disqualify veterans from healthcare, retirement, GI Bill access, or disability compensation.
✅ Recognition of Service
Training injuries are not a failure—they’re part of the cost of military readiness. These veterans should be honored and acknowledged, not discarded.
✅ Legislative and DoD Reform
Military policy and federal legislation must be amended to provide consistent protections for medically discharged service members, particularly those who are released before completing their first term.
💬 Why This Matters
These are not isolated stories. They’re real veterans—people who raised their hands, passed the same tests, wore the same uniform, and said they were ready to give everything for their country. Many of them carry not just physical injuries, but years of emotional pain from being sent home without the honor and support they were promised.
Their stories often go unheard because they didn’t make it to deployment. But they showed up, and that should be enough.
#ReasonableRanks is about standing with these forgotten warriors and saying: you matter. Your service counts. And we’re going to fight for your right to be seen, heard, and supported.
📢 What You Can Do
🔹 Sign the Petition: Help us demand reform by adding your name:
🔹 Share Your Story: Are you or someone you know affected by medical discharge during training? Email us at support@reasonableranks.org
🔹 Contact Your Representatives: Ask them to support policy reforms that protect medically discharged veterans.
🔹 Follow the Campaign: Stay up to date by following us on Facebook and Instagram @ReasonableRanks
🫡 Final Word
The #ReasonableRanks campaign is more than a petition—it’s a movement for accountability, justice, and compassion. It’s about making sure no one who wears the uniform is ever left behind because of an injury they sustained in the line of duty.
Join us in the fight. Because every veteran counts.
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