VA Disability for 0311 (Rifleman (Infantry))

Typical exposures for 0311

These are the general hazards that came with the job. Your own exposure depends on your units, deployments, and duties.

• Hazardous noise

  Weapons fire, engines, aircraft, generators, or machinery at levels linked to tinnitus and hearing loss.

• Blast and overpressure

  Explosions, artillery, breaching, and demolitions. Repeated blast exposure is tied to concussion, headaches, and hearing damage.

• Combat and traumatic stress

  Firefights, casualties, mass-casualty care, and sustained threat, the kind of experience behind PTSD and depression claims.

• Heavy loads and impact

  Rucks, body armor, lifting, carrying patients or ammunition, and hard landings that wear on the back, knees, and feet.

• Burn pits and airborne hazards

  Smoke and fine particulate from open-air burn pits, dust, and sand during Southwest Asia and post-9/11 deployments. About this exposure →

Conditions commonly associated with 0311

Veterans who held this job commonly claim the conditions below. Each still needs a current diagnosis and evidence linking it to your service.

• TinnitusDC 6260Frequently claimed

  Weapons fire, explosions, heavy weapons

• Hearing lossDC 6100Frequently claimed

  Small arms, crew-served weapons, IEDs

• PTSDDC 9411Frequently claimed

  Direct ground combat, urban warfare, IED exposure

• Lumbosacral/cervical strainDC 5237Frequently claimed

  Heavy combat loads, forced marches, body armor

• Knee, limitation of flexionDC 5260Frequently claimed

  Forced marches, running, heavy loads

• Ankle, limited motionDC 5271Also commonly claimed

  Uneven terrain, boots, forced marches

• Sciatic nerve radiculopathyDC 8520Also commonly claimed

  Secondary to lumbar strain

• Migraine headachesDC 8100Also commonly claimed

  Blast exposure, TBI, concussions

• Foot injuries, otherDC 5284Also commonly claimed

  Boots, marching, long days on feet, cumulative across any military role