MARINES · JOB CODE 5711
CBRN Defense Specialist Your military role & VA condition guide
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Conditions are grouped by occupational exposures and physical demands. These are research connections, not statistics about claim frequency or approval.
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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
Chronic Laryngitis
DC 6516 has two evaluations, 30 and 10 percent, and hoarseness is in both of them. What separates the tiers is not how bad the hoarseness sounds but what an examination of the larynx finds underneath it: inflammation of the cords or mucous membrane is the 10 percent criterion, while thickening or nodules of the cords, polyps, submucous infiltration, or pre-malignant changes on biopsy is the 30 percent one. So a claim under this code turns on a finding that has to be seen and written down, not on a description of the voice.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- An examination that looked at the larynx and described the cords. The 30 percent criterion is made of findings — thickening, nodules, polyps, submucous infiltration — that exist only if somebody visualized the cords and wrote down what was there.
- The biopsy report, if one was taken. Pre-malignant changes on biopsy is the fifth route to 30 percent and the only one that is a laboratory result rather than an observation.
- Records showing the hoarseness is chronic rather than an episode. Both tiers of DC 6516 require hoarseness, and the code is titled chronic laryngitis, so a single acute illness is not what it grades.
Dermatitis or Eczema
A chronic skin condition causing rashes, redness, itching, or flaking, often worsened by allergens or stress.
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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)
Hypertension
Hypertension is chronically elevated blood pressure that, left unmanaged, raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. It's one of the most common VA claims, both filed directly and as a PACT Act presumptive condition for many Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- Blood pressure readings from primary care visits across multiple dates - this is the core evidence the rating schedule requires.
- VA Compensation & Pension exam results, where the examiner takes their own set of readings.
- A treatment and medication history showing what's been prescribed and how consistently blood pressure has stayed elevated despite treatment.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health issue caused by a traumatic event, leading to flashbacks, anxiety, or nightmares.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- Formal PTSD diagnosis from a VA or private psychiatrist
- C&P exam results showing PTSD symptoms
- Buddy statements confirming trauma or symptoms
Migraine
Severe recurring headaches that may include nausea, light sensitivity, and inability to function.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- Neurology consult with detailed migraine history
- Headache diary showing frequency and impact
- Employer or family statements about missed work or functional episodes
Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)
DC 7802 covers burn scars, and scars from any other cause, that are not on the head, face, or neck and that are not associated with underlying soft tissue damage. It is the counterpart to DC 7801, and the difference between the two codes is that association — not the burn origin, and not how superficial the scar looks. This code offers one evaluation only: 10 percent, and only where the scar or scars cover an area of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- A measured area for each scar, in square inches or square centimeters, from the exam or a dermatology note.
- A statement in the record that the scar is not associated with underlying soft tissue damage, which is the finding that assigns it to DC 7802 rather than DC 7801.
- Photographs showing each scar and where it sits on the body, so the affected zones under Note (1) can be identified.
Bronchiectasis
A condition where airways in the lungs become permanently widened, leading to mucus buildup and infections.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- A CT scan showing bronchial dilation, the imaging finding that confirms the diagnosis.
- Pulmonary function test (PFT) results.
- A documented history of antibiotic treatment for lung infections.
Scars, Unstable or Painful
DC 7804 evaluates scars that are unstable, painful, or both, and it rates them by count — how many scars qualify, not their size, location, or appearance. Note (1) defines an unstable scar as one where, for any reason, there is frequent loss of covering of skin over the scar. A painful scar and an unstable scar count the same toward the tier, and where a single scar is both, Note (2) adds 10 percent on top.
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Evidence covered in the guide
- Exam or treatment notes that identify each scar separately and state, for each one, whether it is painful on examination, unstable, or both.
- Wound-care or dermatology records covering the occasions when a scar lost its covering of skin, since Note (1) makes the frequency of that loss the test for instability.
- Photographs of each scar with its location, taken at more than one point in time where instability is at issue.
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A FEW HELPFUL ANSWERS
Questions about the 5711 guide
What do the conditions in this guide represent?
They are conditions grouped with 5711 (CBRN Defense Specialist) 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.
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