You served your country. You earned your benefits. But now those same disability ratings could jeopardize your career in aviation.
Veterans transitioning to civilian flying are discovering a painful reality: the FAA treats VA disability ratings as ongoing medical concerns, even when the VA has deemed the condition stable or non-disabling.
The VA assigns disability ratings to acknowledge service-connected conditions, not to determine civilian job fitness. But the FAA often views any rating—especially for PTSD, anxiety, or substance use history—as a red flag for disqualification or delay.
Veterans who disclose their VA history in good faith can find themselves:
Some veterans only discover speculative or informal notes in their VA records when flagged by the FAA. These remarks—often never explained to the veteran—can be interpreted as active psychiatric diagnoses even when they're not.
Even if a veteran is fully functional, stable, and cleared by private medical professionals, the FAA may still impose restrictions or monitoring based on outdated or misunderstood military records.
Veterans should not be punished for seeking treatment or receiving well-earned benefits. FAA medical review must:
If you’ve faced scrutiny from the FAA based on your VA record, you are not alone. Contact us at P4HR@pilotsforhimsreform.org.
Your story deserves to be heard. And your service deserves respect.