What “Reasonable Accommodation” Should Mean for the U.S. Military
- Kirk Carlson
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
⚖️
Redefining How America Treats Its Injured and Disabled Service Members
For decades, the phrase “reasonable accommodation” has stood as a pillar of civil rights law. It represents fairness, inclusion, and the idea that a person’s worth is not defined by their limitations but by their willingness to serve and contribute.
In every workplace across the United States — from the White House to the post office — the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that employees with disabilities receive accommodations to perform their duties. But inside the U.S. military, that promise stops at the gate.
Today, thousands of loyal service members are being discharged instead of reassigned, simply because the concept of “reasonable accommodation” has never been fully applied to the armed forces.
🧩 The Double Standard in Federal Employment
Under Title I of the ADA, civilian employees are protected from job discrimination and entitled to reasonable workplace adjustments — unless they serve in the uniformed military.
That exclusion creates a devastating double standard:
A Department of Defense civilian mechanic injured on base can request reassignment or modified duties.
A uniformed soldier performing the same job, injured in the same way, can be medically discharged.
The difference isn’t the injury — it’s the uniform.
This legal gap has allowed the Department of Defense to rely on internal “policy discretion” rather than binding civil rights law. Commanders can discharge an injured member as “non-deployable” with no formal process for accommodation or reassignment, even when that service member could continue serving in a non-combat role.
🩹 The Reality Behind “Non-Deployable”
The term non-deployable has quietly become a death sentence for military careers. It often includes service members recovering from injury, managing chronic illness, or receiving mental health treatment.
These are not cases of misconduct or refusal — they’re cases of dedication colliding with an outdated system.
In a modern, technologically advanced force, there are countless ways to continue serving:
Cyber defense, logistics, training, public affairs, and intelligence analysis.
Teaching, mentorship, and administrative roles that leverage hard-earned experience.
Yet thousands are still being shown the door each year, despite being willing and able to contribute in meaningful ways.
⚖️ What “Reasonable Accommodation”
Should
Mean in Uniform
Applying “reasonable accommodation” to the military doesn’t mean compromising readiness or lowering standards — it means recognizing human potential beyond deployment status.
A true military accommodation policy should guarantee:
Reassignment Pathways:
Injured service members should have the right to be reassigned to administrative or support roles aligned with their abilities and experience.
Medical Retention Boards with Civil Oversight:
Transparent review processes that ensure fairness and accountability in medical separation decisions.
Career Continuity Options:
Opportunities for wounded or disabled personnel to continue serving in reserve, training, or civilian-transition programs.
Equal Dignity Across Ranks and Roles:
Every service member, from private to officer, deserves the same procedural rights and respect when facing discharge for medical reasons.
This is not charity — it’s justice. It’s about honoring the same principle that guides the ADA: equal opportunity through reasonable adjustment.
💡 A Reform Movement Gaining Ground
Through the #ReasonableRanks campaign, Covenant of Courage and allied veterans’ organizations are calling on Congress and the Department of Defense to codify “reasonable accommodation” into military personnel law.
Their proposal envisions a Career Reassignment Framework modeled after the ADA — giving service members who sustain injuries the option to transition into compatible roles instead of being forced out.
This reform would:
Save the government millions in retraining and benefit costs.
Retain valuable talent and institutional knowledge.
Reduce veteran homelessness, suicide risk, and family instability caused by sudden loss of income and purpose.
🕊️ The Moral Imperative
Every military oath begins with a promise to defend — not just land and flag, but the values that make this nation worth defending. Among those values are equality, fairness, and respect for human dignity.
When a soldier is injured in service, that injury should not become a reason for expulsion — it should be an opportunity to demonstrate America’s integrity.
The true test of a nation’s strength isn’t how it treats its heroes in uniform, but how it treats them after the fight.
📣 Join the Movement
It’s time for our laws to reflect our values.
Service should never be punished with separation.
Injury should never be treated as inability.
Together, we can ensure that reasonable accommodation finally means what it should — for everyone who serves under the American flag.
🖊 Sign the petition: https://chng.it/5yXYvkBtMR
🌐 Learn more: www.covenantofcourage.com
Comments