MARINES · JOB CODE 1171
Water Support Technician Your military role & VA condition guide
The work you did is a place to start. Explore conditions associated with your role, understand what each guide covers, and take your research one step at a time.
Explore this role’s conditionsFree · No account needed
Your 1171 research, ready to revisit
Email yourself the conditions associated with 1171 (Water Support Technician) and links to their guides, ready for your next research session.
Marines
YOUR STARTING POINT
Connect your role to your research.
This guide brings together conditions associated with 1171 (Water Support Technician). Start with a topic that relates to your experience, then follow its guide for more detail.
Find a familiar topic
Browse the conditions or narrow them down by body system.
Look a little closer
Preview the evidence covered in each guide.
Take a useful next step
Read the full guide and organize the records you already have.
Conditions are grouped by occupational exposures and physical demands. These are research connections, not statistics about claim frequency or approval.
ALSO KNOWN AS
FOLLOW WHAT’S RELEVANT TO YOU
Conditions to explore.
Choose a body system, search for a condition, or open a preview. Each full guide explains its rating criteria and evidence in more detail.
8 of 8 conditions
Lumbosacral or Cervical Strain
A strain or sprain of the muscles and ligaments supporting the neck or lower back, causing pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion — often from lifting, impact, or repetitive strain during service.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- C&P or orthopedic exam showing measured loss of range of motion, muscle spasm, or guarding
- Service treatment records documenting the in-service injury, incident, or repetitive strain
- Buddy statements or personnel records corroborating the in-service event (e.g., heavy lifting, vehicle accident, parachute jumps)
Dermatitis or Eczema
A chronic skin condition causing rashes, redness, itching, or flaking, often worsened by allergens or stress.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- Dermatology records with area measurement (percentage of body affected)
- Photos showing visible skin lesions
- Medication history (topical or oral corticosteroids, immunosuppressants)
Chronic Bronchitis
Inflammation of the bronchial tubes causing persistent cough and mucus production.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- VA or private pulmonologist diagnosis
- Pulmonary function test results
- C&P exam with respiratory symptoms documented
Malignant Neoplasms of the Digestive System
DC 7343 is the digestive system's cancer code, and it has one rating: 100 percent. The whole of its criteria is its own title — malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, exclusive of skin growths — so nothing about stage, site or treatment changes the percentage while it runs. What the code does carry is a note about when it stops: the 100 percent continues beyond the cessation of any surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedure, and six months after that treatment is discontinued a mandatory VA examination determines the rating from then on.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- A pathology report naming the malignancy and the digestive-system site. DC 7343's single criterion is the presence of a malignant neoplasm of the digestive system, so the diagnosis is the whole of what the 100 percent rests on.
- Treatment records with dates — surgery, radiation, antineoplastic chemotherapy, or other therapeutic procedure. The note runs the 100 percent beyond the cessation of treatment and starts a six-month clock from discontinuance, so the date treatment stopped is the date that matters.
- The report of the mandatory VA examination six months after treatment is discontinued, which is what the note makes the basis for the rating from that point.
Uveitis (Choroiditis/Iritis)
Uveitis is inflammation inside the eye that can cause redness, pain, and vision problems.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- Ophthalmology records dating each treatment visit, since the incapacitating-episode tiers are counted in visits over the past 12 months.
- Prescription history for corticosteroids, systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents, which the formula's Note (2) names as qualifying treatment.
- Records of intravitreal or periocular injections, laser treatment or surgery, also named in Note (2).
Tenosynovitis
Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the sheath that surrounds a tendon, causing pain, swelling and catching on movement. Since February 7, 2021 DC 5024 has covered a wider family — the schedule titles it "Tenosynovitis, tendinitis, tendinosis or tendinopathy", so rotator cuff tendinitis, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, lateral epicondylitis, Achilles tendinopathy and trigger finger are all rated here. The code has no percentages of its own: it is rated as degenerative arthritis, on limitation of motion of the affected part.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- Goniometer range-of-motion measurements, in degrees, for the joint the affected tendon crosses — this is the only thing DC 5024 rates.
- Examination findings recording objective painful motion, localized swelling along the tendon, or crepitus, which is the confirmation DC 5003 requires before the per-joint 10 percent can be assigned.
- Ultrasound or MRI showing tendon sheath thickening, tendinosis or a partial tear, plus injection, splinting, physical therapy or release-surgery records.
Bursitis
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa — one of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion tendons and muscles where they pass over bone — most often at the shoulder, hip, elbow or knee, causing pain and painful, restricted motion. DC 5019 has no percentages of its own: it is rated as degenerative arthritis, on limitation of motion of the affected joint.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- Goniometer range-of-motion measurements, in degrees, for the affected joint — this is the only thing DC 5019 rates, and a compensable evaluation depends on comparing it against that joint's own diagnostic code.
- Examination findings recording objective painful motion, swelling or muscle spasm, which is the confirmation DC 5003 requires before the per-joint 10 percent can be assigned.
- Imaging (ultrasound or MRI) showing bursal thickening or effusion, and any aspiration or injection records, which establish the diagnosis.
Ulnar Nerve Paralysis
Damage to the ulnar nerve affecting the hand, especially the ring and pinky fingers, causing weakness, numbness, or loss of coordination.
Read the condition guidePreview the guide
Evidence covered in the guide
- Electromyography (EMG) results confirming and grading the nerve damage.
- Grip strength test results comparing the affected and unaffected hand.
- A physician's neurological exam report documenting sensory and motor findings.
GIVE YOUR RESEARCH A HOME
Put your service story in one place.
You don’t need every document to start exploring. Use this checklist to organize what you know and the records you already have.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
A FEW HELPFUL ANSWERS
Questions about the 1171 guide
What do the conditions in this guide represent?
They are conditions grouped with 1171 (Water Support Technician) by the role’s occupational exposures and physical demands. Use them as a starting point for research. The list does not rank conditions by claim frequency or VA approval rates.
Where can I find rating levels and evidence guidance?
Open a condition preview for a quick look, or follow its guide link for the published rating criteria, an evidence checklist, and available exam guidance.
What if I served in more than one role?
You can explore a guide for each of your military jobs. Use the military job directory to search another code, job title, or branch, and keep notes on the experiences you want to discuss.
What if my condition is not listed here?
This is a curated starting point. The condition library has additional guides you can search by name, body system, or diagnostic code.
On the App Store
Getting out? Keep track of what’s next.
Outbound turns your separation or retirement date into a timeline for healthcare, VA claim windows, documents, and more. Works offline, no account.