US senator's bill eases path to defense jobs for military recruits with medical issues

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — An American flag patch is worn by a U.S. Army soldier during a training exercise at Camp Nett, Niantic, Connecticut, May 17, 2023. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

By Mike Stone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -     A group of U.S. lawmakers plans to introduce a bill on Wednesday to boost the chances for the thousands of Americans with physical issues that disqualify them from military service to find civilian positions in the armed forces and defense industry.

The Defense Workforce Integration Act, sponsored by Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate, would address workforce shortages in critical areas such as manufacturing, cybersecurity, and defense logistics. 

"Oftentimes, the U.S. Department of Defense will invest significant time and resources into military recruits' training – only for those recruits to be taken out of consideration for medical reasons, many of which do not prohibit them from working to keep our nation safe," said Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, one of the bills' authors. 

Key provisions of the bill include directing the Department of Defense to provide information about civilian employment opportunities to individuals medically disqualified during initial evaluations. 

For servicemembers disqualified early in their careers, the act expands on existing Air Force best practices by establishing Army and Navy personnel management programs. These programs would facilitate recommendations to civilian hiring authorities in the DoD, improving access to the hiring process without guaranteeing employment.

"Medical issues might prevent some patriotic Americans from active military service, but it doesn't have to prevent them from finding other ways to serve our country," said Republican Senator Mike Rounds, a co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate. 

The approach hopes to transform a potential loss of talent into an opportunity, allowing the Department of Defense to retain individuals in whom they've already invested resources. 

 (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Kate Mayberry)