The Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster, despite taking place over 35 years ago, is considered one of the greatest technical disasters in the history of humanity, and its effects are still felt today. The radiation that resulted from the melting and explosion of the reactor’s graphite-uranium elements caused a radioactive cloud of particles over almost all of Europe. The air contained isotopes such as iodine 131, caesium 137 and strontium 90, which are highly radioactive, have a long half-life and cause endocrine diseases. The aim of the article is to examine the social consequences of the Chernobyl disaster through the prism of the ability of the country’s citizens to perform military service. The research problem was to examine whether these disorders are only and exclusively dictated by the Chernobyl disaster and whether the sick really function at such a low level that they are not able to be subject to the universal duty of defense? In connection with this, a hypothesis was formulated that the Chernobyl disaster has a real impact on the health of society to this day, thus reducing the state’s recruitment capabilities to the Polish Armed Forces. To achieve the goal, the method of analysis and criticism of the literature of available medical research and statistical data was used. Comparison of research results and fragmentary literature allowed for the development of conclusions that diagnose the problem using the method of analysis and logical construction. As a result of the conducted research, it is estimated that in Poland after 1986 endocrine disorders have increased dynamically, where currently over 20% of the population struggles with problems, and this number is constantly growing. The problem is not only medical, but also social, because from the point of view of medicine, a significant part of the population is not able to perform both professional and reserve service during a state of war. However, from the point of view of predispositions and often sophisticated qualifications of people suffering from these disorders, it would be reasonable to allow them to serve. This is a peculiar problem, because currently in Poland there is a recruitment crisis, which has its roots in demography.