VA Disability for 11B (Infantryman)

Typical exposures for 11B

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.

• Repetitive strain, vibration, and posture

  The same motion thousands of times, long hours seated in vehicles or at a console, or constant vibration from vehicles and tools.

• 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 →

• Chemicals and solvents

  Solvents, degreasers, paints, cleaning agents, and other industrial chemicals used in the field, the shop, or on the line.

Conditions commonly associated with 11B

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 systems

• Hearing lossDC 6100Frequently claimed

  Prolonged exposure to small arms, grenades, IEDs

• PTSDDC 9411Frequently claimed

  Direct combat exposure, firefights, IED attacks

• Lumbosacral/cervical strainDC 5237Frequently claimed

  Heavy rucking, body armor, combat loads 60-100+ lbs

• Knee, limitation of flexionDC 5260Frequently claimed

  Rucking, running, jumping with heavy loads

• Knee instabilityDC 5257Also commonly claimed

  Repeated stress from dismounted patrols

• Sciatic nerve radiculopathyDC 8520Also commonly claimed

  Secondary to lumbar strain from heavy loads

• Ankle, limited motionDC 5271Also commonly claimed

  Uneven terrain, parachute landings, sprains

• Migraine headachesDC 8100Also commonly claimed

  TBI from blast exposure, concussions

• Shoulder, limitation of motionDC 5201Also commonly claimed

  Carrying weapons, body armor, overhead lifting

• Eczema/dermatitisDC 7806Also commonly claimed

  Exposure to chemicals, field conditions, irritants

• Sleep apneaDC 6847Also commonly claimed

  Often secondary to PTSD, weight gain post-service

• Major depressive disorderDC 9434Also commonly claimed

  Combat stress, loss of unit members, moral injury

• Degenerative arthritisDC 5003Also commonly claimed

  Cumulative joint wear from high-impact activities

• Foot injuries, otherDC 5284Also commonly claimed

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